


Burned By the Flame

by RBGirl



Series: Flame Series [3]
Category: Gunsmoke
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 16:01:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 37,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15368160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RBGirl/pseuds/RBGirl
Summary: An innocent desire leads to charges of murder against someone in the Dillon family. What's worse, and old grudge against Matt Dillon adds to the threat.





	Burned By the Flame

Burned By The Flame  
Chapter 1  
The Long Branch

Matt stood outside the batwing doors, his eyes searching out old territory. It had been a long spell since the Long Branch was his stomping ground. Married now almost ten years, the whole place felt different. His eyes came to rest on the gorgeous new hire behind the bar, wiping down glasses. That took him back. He remembered when a certain young redhead had just become part owner. A quick glance around didn’t produce any customers, so on a reckless whim he decided to be friendly. Giving his hat a shove, he sauntered up to the bar. “Excuse me Miss, can a guy get a beer in here?”

She turned to see the owner of that deep, rugged voice. Her sparkling eyes complimented her radiant smile. “Well, I don’t know. Do you have the price of a beer?”

Standing like this suddenly propelled him back to the days when he was young and free. “Is...beer all you’re offering?” He even surprised himself with that question.

Now, her back stiffened and she crossed her arms across her chest. With one brow arched high, she responded scornfully, “Look. This is my first night here. I really don’t need this.”

“Sorry, I uh, didn’t mean anything. I was just... Well you are very attractive and I was just trying to be...friendly. There was the prettiest little redhead that worked here years ago and she was...real friendly.” 

Matt had reached the point where his mind was telling his mouth to stop, but his tongue had taken control. He leaned in closer and dropped his words to a whisper, “I have to ask; I don’t suppose you would be willing to...” he let his eyes roam hungrily up and down her body, “be friendly to an old man—for old time’s sake?” 

The woman threw the towel down and marched around to his side of the bar. Her actions were so quick and deliberate that Matt drew back in surprise. “You want friendly? I’ll give you friendly!” Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him down to her level and planted those luscious lips over his. Matt’s large hands slid around her slender body, pulling it closer to his. Only the need to breathe broke them apart. “Is that friendly enough for you?” 

“I don’t know about him,” the guy at the table in the corner shouted, “But it’s damn sure friendly enough for me! Come on over here, honey, you‘re the sweetest thing I‘ve seen in here tonight.” He left his beer where it sat and started toward the woman in question, at end of the bar.

“Hold on there!” Matt spun around, putting his hand out to stop the young man in his tracks. “She’s only friendly to me.”

The younger man stopped and Matt recognized the same expression he often saw on his five year old son when things weren‘t going his way. “You’re kinda selfish there, aren’t you Marshal? What kind of town is this?” 

Kitty was now hidden behind the Marshal, so that the new admirer wouldn’t see her struggle to keep from laughing. Red faced, Matt turned to the man and blurted out the truth. “Look kid, she’s my wife, okay.”

“Ohhh,” Suddenly the man looked much younger and judging from the crimson color seeping across his face, equally embarrassed. Backing slowly to his own table, he tipped his hat, “Sorry, ma’am.” Even though he couldn’t see her, for the big man blocking her from view, he continued to apologize. “I didn’t know...I...” he gulped down the rest of his beer and quickly headed for the door. “I gotta be going now. Sorry, Marshal. Ma’am.” 

Matt turned around in time to catch Kitty. By now, she was laughing so hard, she fell against his muscular chest.

“It’s not - that - funny!” 

“The look... on...your face was...priceless.” The words fell between gasps, as she struggled to regain her breath.

Matt readjusted his hat again and offered a lopsided grin. “I didn’t see him down there, or I would never have said anything.” 

“Don’t tell me we’re going back to those days again?” Matt looked momentarily confused by her comment. “You know; when we pretended that there was nothing between us...?”

“No, but I wouldn’t have...” He stopped and scratched his forehead, rethinking his actions. A slow grin spread across his face and he reached out, pulling her hard against him. “You’re right. I forgot, I can grab and kiss you anytime I want. And I want!” he growled. To prove his point, he kissed her again; this time it was long and hot, almost as if he were daring anyone to object. 

Kitty was still gasping for a breath, but this time it was not due to laughing. “I need to get this place closed up so we can get home, Cowboy!” She quickly started back to work, when he pulled her again into his arms. 

“Is your old room upstairs still empty?” 

Pete McGuire’s new hire wore a wicked grin as she pulled from his embrace. “Why, Marshal, are you trying to seduce me?” She began to back away toward the stairs. 

Matt slowly moved toward her, “Oh, I passed, ‘seducing you’ a long time ago. Now, I’m just flat ready to ravish that body in a session of mad passionate love.” 

Kitty knew that look only too well. She let out a squeal as she turned and attempted to outrun the big man, but he was too fast. Kitty felt those strong arms envelop her, pulling her off her feet, then the sensation of being lifted into the air. His long legs took the stairs three at a time, carrying her as if she were weightless. Kitty wasn’t ready to give up just yet. She wrapped her arms around Matt’s neck and began covering his face with playful, yet urgent kisses. 

He was doing his best to see, but her sweet lips were all over his face. “Kitty... I...will you...stop...for a minute!” 

They both began to laugh as he started to stagger down the hall toward Kitty’s old room. 

“You’re...gonna...make us...both fall.” The more he laughed, the more she kissed, and the weaker he got.

Somehow, he managed to get to the room and having no patience left, kicked the door open. With what strength he had left, he stumbled forward and they both went tumbling across the old bed. 

“Well...that... was…romantic!” Kitty’s words dropped between gasping breaths. She was still laughing too hard to sit up, while Matt lay beside her trying to get his own labored breathing under control. 

“Whew,” he took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, “You couldn’t just let me carry you up here?”

Kitty rolled over on her side, and leaned up on one elbow. She began to run her fingers down his chest and then to undo the buttons on his shirt. “And have you think I’m easy?”

Matt reached up, brushing his hand along her cheek. “I can think of a hundred words to describe you, sweetheart, but easy isn’t one of them.” 

She could feel his fingers nimbly working to undo the hooks on her dress. Although, he complained about the dainty buttons and hooks on her clothing, they never seemed to be that much of a hindrance for him. The room fell silent as they were caught up in each other's eyes. 

Their clothes were soon mingled together in a pile beside the bed, while their naked bodies came together slowly, each touching, kissing, loving. Kitty moaned softly, letting go the gentle gasp of a woman experiencing the intense pleasure that only one man could bring to her—the man she loved. 

Her name played on his lips as she invited him to slowly enter her body, warm, wet and willing. Like electric currents, the titillating sensations coursed through their bodies in erotic waves, fusing them into one being. Pushed to the edge, they cried out, both lost in a world of ecstasy. 

He fell beside her, breathless, still basking in the afterglow. Pulling himself up on one elbow, he watched her breathing, rapidly at first and then gradually slowing down. She opened her eyes and smiled, that smile that she had that made her look almost angelic. Her face still bore the faint blush of a well-sated lover. The tip of her tongue swept across her upper lip. He marveled at how she was able to excite him, only minutes after pleasing him so thoroughly. 

“You’re going to be the death of me,” he whispered, as he leaned down with a kiss, and began the ride again. 

 

O’BrianO’BrianO’Brian

 

“Can I help you make the pancakes?” Cooper pulled a stool up to the counter and climbed up beside his big sister.

“Yeah, pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes!” Hadley clapped and sang her new favorite song.

“Shut up Hadley!” Cooper dismissed the little girl impatiently and returned to his important duties.

“Coop, we don’t talk to our sister like that.” Calleigh scolded him, while mixing the batter. 

He turned around with a reluctant apology “Soorrry.” Calleigh stopped measuring and gave her little brother a scathing glance. Cooper lowered his lids, to cover the shame in his eyes. This time when he spoke, his tone was genuine. “I’m sorry Hadley.” Calleigh leaned over and kissed his curly patch of hair. She had taught him a lesson, even though the baby girl was undaunted by his actions—either before or after his repentance—as she resumed her singing.

Newly interrupted Calleigh long enough for a kiss, as he passed by on his way to the table. Although he hated to stop the twirling dance that Hadley had choreographed to go along with her song, he knew he had to. “Yes, baby girl, we are having pancakes. Let’s get you in the highchair.” She seemed most agreeable this morning and actually cooperated with him, “How’s it coming over there?”

Calleigh was supervising Cooper, as he poured the batter into the pan. “They’ll be ready in just a few minutes.” 

She smiled as she watched the little boy. His tongue was sticking out the corner of his mouth as he worked the spatula. He was putting all of his concentration and effort into making them perfect. “Are they done?”

“I believe they are, Coop. Can you put them on the platter?”

“I think so.” Again, that little tongue poked out between his lips as he worked to scoop up breakfast. Soon, a grin took the place of the tension and he looked up at his sister. “I did it!” He jumped down from the stool and ran over to the table. “I made breakfast, Newly! Wait ‘til you see ...”

Newly looked at the platter and then at Calleigh. There, proudly displayed, were a handful of the smallest pancakes he had ever seen. His wife fought to maintain a straight face, as Newly feigned excitement. 

“Wow, those look great! Look, Hadley, just your size.” Newly sat one down on her tray and little fingers immediately plucked it up and began to gobble it down. While the kids were digging into the tiny breakfast tokens, Newly joined Calleigh at the stove. He poured himself a cup of coffee and offered the same to her. She nodded as she watched the kids finish their meal.

“Thanks,” she took the cup he poured for her, “I guess this means you’re going to the Prairie Rose for breakfast?” His grin said it all. “Eat enough for me,” she added in a dry, almost sarcastic tone.

“How long will Kitty be working at the Long Branch?”

“Just a couple of weeks, maybe a little less. Pete wanted to spend some time with the family after the funeral.” 

Calleigh cast a hopeful look in her husband’s direction before taking another sip, “I thought maybe I could fill in for her a couple of nights.”

“First, let me say again, I don’t like this idea.” Although his eyes remained fixed on the children at the table, he was clearly not seeing them. A secret glance at the woman standing next to him reminded Newly how beautiful she was. No, he didn’t relish the idea of some drunk pawing his wife. He felt the muscles in his jaw tighten and his body tense up at the thought. 

Before he could say something he would regret, Calleigh leaned over and brushed a kiss to his cheek, “I know it sounds silly, but I feel like the Long Branch is a part of all of you that I never got to share. I just want a little piece of it for myself. It means so much to me, that you are willing to let me do this.”

Newly looked into those brilliant blue eyes, he could feel his manhood—draining from his body and pooling around his feet. “Yeah, well; I just want you to be happy,” he reluctantly mumbled. He held out his cup for her to refill, “This is just so different from anything you've ever done. I mean you have never worked in a saloon before."

She shrugged and walked back to the table with a wet cloth. “I know how to pour, how hard can it be?” She pulled Hadley from the chair and washed the stickiness from her hands and face, “Cooper, take your sister outside while I clean up.” The two trotted off and she resumed her argument, “Be friendly; pour drinks.”

Newly walked over and began to help her clear the table. “The pouring part, you might be able to handle just fine; but the ‘friendly’ part…?” He made a clicking sound with his tongue, “Drunks are harder to handle than you might think; and you don’t get to shoot them, you know.”

“I know! I can be friendly. All my patients say I have a great bedside manner.” Calleigh wrinkled her nose with a, ’so there’ attitude. 

“Your patients are usually sober,” he pointed out. “I’ve got to get to work. When are you taking the kids back?”

Calleigh followed him to the front door. “I thought I’d let Kitty get some sleep, so about noon. Why?”

Newly turned around and pulled her in for a kiss. “I have an order being picked up about two. I thought I might come home for a late...dinner.” He wiggled his brows with a lascivious grin. 

“Ahh, well I will have dinner ready and waiting.” 

“’Til dinner, then.” He kissed her again and gave her a swat on that lovely behind.

 

Chapter 2  
Longings

Calleigh couldn’t slow the kids down when they reached the Lady K. Both felt the need to announce their arrival at the top of their lungs. She really hoped that Kitty was already awake. However, judging by the sleepy look on the woman’s face as she walked down the stairs, she hadn’t been up very long. The fact was, Kitty had not even been home very long. Matt had teased her awake with a peppering of kisses and touches, that soon ignited the same passion that had consumed them the night before. 

Not long afterward, they were scurrying around like a couple of teenagers, grabbing pieces of discarded clothing from the floor to get dressed and out the door. 

Despite her obviously tired state, Kitty was ready when her children came running up the stairs to greet her. Excited cries of, momma!, momma! echoed around the foyer, along with the grabbing of hands. Kitty sat down on the staircase to give her little ones better access. She was instantly bombarded with their previous night’s activities.

“I made pancakes. All by myself!” Cooper cast a shy look at his sister, “Well, Calleigh helped me, but I made ‘em. Didn’t I, Calleigh?” 

“You sure did,” Calleigh grinned from the bottom of the stairs, as she leaned against the post. She watched the two compete for their mother’s attention—Cooper with his cooking accomplishments and Hadley, giving an impromptu performance of her earlier pancake song and dance. 

“Come on. Let’s give momma a chance to catch her breath.” Calleigh stepped up far enough to reach the performer and plucked her from the stairs. “Let’s go see if there’s some juice for you.” 

She gave Hadley’s belly a little poke, causing her to giggle. They all trailed down the hall into the kitchen to find the bespectacled doctor at the counter, helping himself to a cup of coffee and perusing the morning paper. 

Calleigh sat the little one down and retrieved two cups from the cupboard. “I thought you were going out to the Aggot’s this morning?” She filled both cups and handed one to Kitty. 

“I did. Both mother and baby are doing well. Leigha, is already up and around. That was her eighth baby. She knows her body better than I do.” He took a seat at the table and in no time, the redheaded moppet was climbing onto his lap. She would have been content to play with his vest buttons, but Cooper tugged at her to go outside with him. 

“You go with your brother. Poppy will be right here when you come back in.” He gave the little one a pat on the back and turned his attention to her mother. “How was your first night back at the Long Branch?”

Kitty took the seat opposite the elder physician. “Tiring. I’m not used to those late nights anymore. Actually, I was grateful that it was a pretty slow night. I know Sheridan’s is due to arrive within the next few days with his herd.” 

Calleigh decided, now was as good a time as any to jump in. “I was thinking, maybe I could cover for you a couple of nights. You know, to give you a break.” She sipped her coffee trying to maintain a casual facade.

Kitty’s and Doc’s eyes met, each exhibiting mild surprise. She was the first to address the remark. “YOU, want to work at the Long Branch?” She paused, staring into the cool blue eyes of the young doctor, “After all the years I worked to keep you out of that life, you want to go to work there?”

“Just for a few days. It’s not like I’m giving up my practice.” Calleigh looked to Doc for help, but didn’t see any forthcoming. “Come on, please.”

“Calleigh, what is it about that bar that has you so fascinated?”

“I was born in the Long Branch.” Again, she was greeted by two confused sets of eyes. “The day you took me off of that bar, was the day my life began. That’s the day I became someone’s child. I used to sneak out, after Poppy thought I was asleep, and hide up on the landing and watch you all. It was like a private club. That special table at the back, always reserved for you two and Matt and Festus—and even Newly.”

Doc swiped his hand across his mustache and offered his thoughts. “It’s also the place that almost took you away from us. Or don’t you remember that?”

“I do; but I would rather remember the good times.” 

The eternal optimist, Kitty thought. “What does Newly have to say about this? I seem to remember, he was not so impressed the last time you showed up at the Long Branch.” Kitty quirked an auburn brow and Calleigh grimaced, as both recalled young Calleigh’s saloon-girl seduction of Newly.

“He’s not crazy about the idea, but he’s willing to let me give it a try.”

Kitty took a deep breath, “Doc, will you watch the kids for a while this evening? I’ll let her give it a try early, before the night crowd comes in.” She paused and held up her hand to stop the excited girl already rising from her chair. ”I said...I would give you a try. And, only behind the bar; I don’t want you out on the floor. Understand!” 

That was not a question, but Calleigh nodded her head vigorously just the same.

“That’s not a promise that you can work a busy night.” 

It took every bit of self-restraint to sit back down and remain still, but Calleigh pulled it off. She held her lips between her teeth to keep from squealing excitedly. 

“You’re going to need something to wear. Go into town and see what the girls have that will fit you. But, I warn you...You’d better not come down those stairs looking like you did the last time.”

“Yes ma’am.” Calleigh chewed on her lip anxious to get started. 

Again, Doc’s eyes met Kitty’s, each wondering when they had seen the girl so excited. With a faint shake of her head, Kitty waved Calleigh off, granting her permission to leave. “Go. Get out of here. I’ll be in about six.”

With that, the girl was up, passing out hugs, before rushing out the door. 

 

DodgeDodgeDodgeDodgeDodge

 

“Matt. Had breakfast?” 

The marshal acknowledged Thad’s question with a shake of his head. He smiled, thinking about why he hadn’t had any breakfast. Last night they’d enjoyed the use of Kitty’s old bedroom above the bar. Which reminded him, he was going to have the repair that door; and next time, they needed to lock up before—not after. He had been pleasantly surprised to discover she was still exceptionally frisky this morning. Food, he could get anytime. 

“Actually, I’ve worked up quite an appetite.” It wasn’t his comment, but the look in his eye that accompanied it that Thad found suspicious. With that said, Matt stood up and snatched his hat from the hook. “Let’s go see what Bethany has for us today.”

The two lawmen strolled across the street to the Prairie Rose. “How did Kitty like running the Long Branch again? Is she ready to go back to work?”

“Uh, no… I don’t think so. It felt strange, her being there. Sure took me back.” Matt followed Thad through the door and nodded to a couple of familiar faces. Tia waved from across the room and pointed to their regular table. 

Within minutes, she was offering menus. Matt waved his off and settled for his usual order of steak and eggs. 

“What have you got planned for today?” 

Thad stretched his neck to one side, searching for a certain face. “Uh, I thought I would ride out to the Ferguson place. Old Clint Tolson said that someone was messing with Ferguson’s sheep and he was threatening revenge.”

“Revenge on whom?” Matt fully understood that look and knew he only had half of the young man’s attention. “Thad, who is Ferguson getting revenge on?”

Thad heard the question and turned to Matt, trying to rein in his thoughts. “Uh, Tiddle Watkins. Watkins threatened to shoot them all if Ferguson didn’t keep them pinned up better. They keep getting loose. I was thinking, if you don’t mind, I would stay up there tonight. I’d like to do some fishing while I’m that close to Crawford Springs.”

“Only if you bring some back.” Matt glanced out the window and saw two things of interest. One, was Bethany coming out of the post office. Which explained why she hadn’t already come to the table. The second was Calleigh, hitching up outside the Long Branch and going inside. Thad would soon be happy to see Bethany, now on her way back to the restaurant; but Matt wasn’t so happy to see his daughter at the bar. This had to be about that silly plan of hers to work there.

Surely, Newly had forbidden that. Then again, the mere thought sent a chill down Matt’s spine, despite the warm summer day, as he suddenly pictured himself trying to ‘forbid’ a very young, very stubborn Kitty Russell from doing anything. He was glad to get away from that scary thought, when Tia interrupted with two heaping plates of breakfast. 

“Bethany said to tell you she would be right out, Thad.” Tia sat the plates in front of her customers and stood back. “Can I get you gentlemen anything else?” 

Thad was suddenly all smiles. He was armed with a knife and fork and ready to attack the steaming steak and eggs. “No, Tia, I think we’re fine now.”

With his head down, the marshal looked up under heavy lids at his partner. Yeah, Thad is fine now, Matt thought to himself, now that he knows Bethany is coming. I wonder if he ever goes ten minutes without thinking about her. So young. So much in love. 

His sigh was one of sympathy for his young companion. Matt, cut off a piece of steak and swirled it in the yellow center of the egg and popped it into his mouth. He should have taken Kitty to breakfast. Half the time she went all day without eating. Another cut of meat made its way to the Marshal’s mouth and as he stabbed the next bite, he made up his mind to ride out to the ranch later, to make sure she ate some lunch. 

 

LongBranchLongBranchLongBranchLongBranch

 

Calleigh slipped off of Belle and threw her reins over the railing. She walked through the batwing doors and stood for a moment, admiring her new place of employment. Temporarily, of course. 

“Little Doc, what brings you in here?” Clem finished handing off a beer to a man at the bar and walked over to greet the doctor. 

Calleigh had been going on rounds with Doc since she was about fourteen, so people were used to her tending to the sick and she had earned their trust. After she’d come home from medical school a full-fledged doctor, she deserved the respect due her, but the town already had a ‘Doc’. So, to all her patients, she became ‘Little Doc’.

“Somebody sick?” 

“No, Clem, I’m your new girl.” Her grin was infectious. “For a couple of nights, anyway. Where are the girls?”

He looked around the barroom, “Vanetta and Sorrel, went to lunch. Deidra is...” He searched the room until he spotted her, “Oh, she’s right back there, with Will Moffort.” He dropped his voice to a whisper, “I think we’re gonna lose her soon. Them two is thick as thieves, every afternoon. Shawna is upstairs. She’s been under the weather. As a matter of fact, I thought maybe that’s why you were here.”

“I’m here to borrow a dress, but I would be glad to check on her while I’m here. Which room is hers?”

“Right at the top of the stairs.”

Calleigh flashed her perpetual smile and started up the stairs. She stood outside the door, rapping softly until a faint voice invited her to come in. “Shawna?” The young doctor peeked around the door to find the sick woman lying down. 

Shawna sat up and swung her long, slender legs over the side of the bed. A mild look of surprise crossed her face, “What are you doing here?” She brushed a hand through her long blonde hair, trying to bring some order to the tangled mess. Her face was pale and her green eyes had lost their vibrant luster. 

“I came to borrow a dress, but it looks like you could use some help.” Calleigh crossed the room and took up the girl’s wrist in order to check her pulse. ”What happened here?” She nodded toward the bruises on Shawna’s arm.

“I passed out and fell into something.” Shawna cast off a weary shrug, “I don’t remember now.”

“Hmmm.” Calleigh let go of the girl’s wrist and checked to see if she had a fever. “What are your symptoms?” 

“Nauseous. Cramps.” Shawna hid her eyes beneath half-closed lids, before adding in a whisper, “Some bleeding.” 

Calleigh’s cool blues flashed up, confronting her new patient. Both knew the diagnosis here. She studied the very sad, very fragile young lady. They were about the same age, but obviously, their lives had taken very different paths. 

Would her own life have been so different if Kitty hadn’t come along, Calleigh wondered; or, if Matt had not turned out to be the great father that he was? 

“How far along were you?”

“I figure about three months. Just as well, I suppose. What kind of life could I give it?” Despite her words, the hurtful tone in Shawna’s voice revealed that she truly had wanted the baby.

“Is there a daddy in this picture?” Calleigh’s heart went out to the young girl, as she thought about the devoted man in her own life. She suddenly remembered that Newly was coming home for...dinner. She looked at the clock beside Shawna’s bed. One o’clock. Thank heavens; she still had time to get home. 

“There is a man in the picture, but a daddy...” Shawna shook her head with a cheerless smile, “So far he hasn’t even committed to being a husband.”

“You’re married?”

Shawna scooted back on the bed and folded her legs beneath herself. “Yeah, but he doesn’t want anyone to know yet. We’ve been married a year, but he says no one would hire me to work in a bar if I was married; and we need the money right now. Just until he gets a steady job.” She suddenly sat up straighter and tried to shake off the gloominess. “Why did you come here today?”

“Oh. I’m going to be filling in here until Pete and Marion get back. I need to borrow a couple of dresses.”

“Well, since I’m at least six inches taller, mine won’t help, but Tara Landon was about your size. She left several things here. Look in the back of the wardrobe. I think they’re still there. When are you starting?”

“As a matter of fact, today. You need to stay in bed, so I’ll fill in for you tonight. I’ll explain to Kitty.”

“I can’t let you do that-”

“I’m the doctor here.” Calleigh rustled through the clothing and picked out two dresses. “We both know you shouldn’t be on your feet; and you surely don’t need to try and smile and pretend that everything is all right.” 

Armed with the frilly dresses, Calleigh twisted the doorknob to leave, but then stopped halfway through the doorway. “I’m sorry Shawna, I really am.”

“I know. Thanks for checking up on me.”

“I’ll slip up tonight to see how you’re doing.” Part of Calleigh wanted to stay, but there was nothing she could say to make the girl feel better. She even felt guilty that she was—in all honesty—using Shawna’s illness to get to work the floor tonight. Calleigh knew that if she waited until the last minute, Kitty would have to let her fill in.

 

Chapter 3  
Trouble

The batwing doors swung open and a petite little redhead burst into the Long Branch. As usual, anytime she entered a room, she took command of it. 

Kitty scrutinized the girl’s outfit with a critical eye. Calleigh had chosen a white, satin, knee length dress. One side had a black lace strap while the other side remained strapless. It was more risqué than her mother would have preferred, but it was acceptable. The makeup was harder to accept, as she seldom wore any; but Kitty knew she had to give some concessions and it wasn’t too heavy. 

Calleigh brought her enchanting smile to the bar. “Here I am, reporting for duty.” Kitty narrowed her eyes and looked at Clem, neither of them understanding the girl’s enthusiasm. “Okay, I’ll give you a couple of hours until the cattle drovers start to come in”

“Oh, about that ‘trial run’…” Calleigh knew she had to speak fast, “Shawna is sick and I told her I would cover for her.” 

Calleigh pulled Kitty aside before her mother had a chance to say the words that were written all over her face. “Did you know she was pregnant?” The obvious surprise on Kitty’s face answered that question. “She lost it earlier this morning.” 

Kitty glanced up toward the door to room number three. Of course the woman didn’t want Shawna to work. Even though it wasn’t Calleigh’s fault, Kitty was somewhat annoyed with the girl for putting herself in this position. “All right. You be friendly, but not ‘too’ friendly. DON’T let them touch you. If you have any problem, you get over here to me.”

“Do you give all your girls the same speech?”

“Yes, Miss Smart-ass, as a matter of fact I do. I don’t want my girls being manhandled unless they want to be. They’re paid to be friendly and offer companionship with a drink. Nothing more. If they choose more, so be it, but it‘s not a required part of the job,” Kitty stood back, taking another look. “I can’t believe Newly is letting you do this.” She walked around to the back side of the bar, still mumbling to herself. 

“I promised Shawna I would check in on her. I’ll be right back.” Calleigh mounted the stairs, stopping at the door long enough for an invitation to enter. Shawna was still in bed and Calleigh motioned for her to stay still. “How do you feel?”

“Tired. Weak.” A half smile said the same. 

Calleigh reached into her reticule and produced a small bottle of powder. “I’m going to give you something to help you sleep.” She went over the nightstand and poured a glass of water to mix with the powder. “Can you sit up enough to drink this?” 

Shawna pulled herself up and took the glass. “You look great. I forgot to tell you when you were here earlier, I have a sequined comb that will go real nice with that dress. It‘s over there, on the dresser.” Shawna watched her replacement walk across the room, “Wow, that dress never looked that good on Tara. You make looking pretty so easy,” Shawna sighed.

Calleigh pinned the comb in place. “Like this?” Shawna nodded and set the glass down on the bedside table. The newest saloon girl returned to the bed and watched as her new patient/friend laid back down. “Shawna, you are the prettiest girl here. Right now, you’re feeling beat down, but that doesn’t change who you really are. Kitty, the girls and I, well we’re all here for you.”

“Why would you want to be friends with me?” The words could have been spoken in bitterness, but Shawna put forth only genuine curiosity. “You have everything. I’m just a saloon girl.”

“I do have everything,” Calleigh acknowledged, making no excuses. “But I’m the daughter of a saloon girl and damned proud of it. Kitty used to own this place.” She sat down on the edge of the bed, “Deidra and I went to school together. One of my best friends—the Maid-of-Honor at my wedding, as a matter of fact—was Libby Peterson. She worked here when I was younger. She got married a few years ago and moved to Denver, but we keep in touch and I’ve been to visit her a few times. Shawna, we’re not that different.”

“I guess I was too quick to judge.” Shawna hunched her shoulders and offered a somewhat crooked smile. ”Comes with the job.”

“I know, but the offer of friendship is still there.” Calleigh smiled and brushed her hand across the blonde’s forehead. It was a casual touch, as if to push back the errant hair, but it made Shawna laugh. “You’re checking for fever. My momma used to do that.” 

With a slightly sheepish grin, the young doctor nodded, “I thought I was a little slicker than that. You do have some fever. Stay in bed and I’ll make sure Clem brings up some supper. That powder should help you sleep. I‘ll check on you later.” Calleigh stood up and smoothed out the silky material. “Well, here I go.” 

Shawna actually seemed brighter, her smile a little stronger with the help of a new friend. “You’ll do great.” 

 

Long Branch Long Branch Long Branch

 

Kitty kept a close eye on the girl; but luckily, it had been a relatively quiet evening. It was going to be another day, after all, before the cattle drive hit town. Kitty promised herself that she would have a replacement for Calleigh before then. 

The only problem so far had been when Matt stopped by on his rounds. Kitty was so glad that she happened to be serving some cowboys at the bar when Matt stepped in. With Shawna’s sudden illness and Calleigh's unplanned shift, no one had a chance to let the Marshal know that his daughter was working and not just behind the bar. It took him a minute for his brain to register that it was Calleigh in that shiny little dress. For a moment, it was like looking at Kitty ten years ago. But, then reality slapped him with a wake-up call; it wasn’t Kitty, it was his daughter. And what the hell was she doing? 

The amused look on his wife’s face was not the greeting he wanted. “What the hell??”

“I know.” Her amusement was with him, definitely not for the girl. Kitty leaned down on the bar and joined his scrutinizing gaze. “Shawna is sick and...Calleigh convinced me to let her stand in.” 

Matt pursed his lips and grunted his disapproval. “Maybe I should stick around here tonight. How come Newly isn’t here?”

“She made him promise to stay home.” Kitty stood up and took note of the patrons. She observed the complete change in atmosphere since Matt‘s arrival. Most of the people here tonight were regulars and they knew Calleigh was the Marshal’s daughter. His presence had spread a chill blanket over the crowd.

“Actually, I think you’d better leave.” Kitty motioned for Matt to take his eyes off his daughter for a moment and look at the other faces. They all seem to be nervously staring at him. “Don’t worry, I’ll watch out for her.” 

He turned around to the bar and drank a good portion of his beer, “I know you will. I swear, it was bad enough watching ‘em paw over you all those years ago. I never thought I’d have to do this again.”

“Were you jealous, Marshal?” Kitty’s smile matched the come-hither look in her eyes. 

He noted that sweet, seductive lilt to her voice as he finished the last of his beer. “You’ll think jealous if I hear you use that tone with some cowboy. And stop looking so gorgeous!” Matt pulled his hat down over his forehead and stomped out of the bar.

 

Charlie Poe had all of the attributes needed to attract women: Wavy black hair. Piercing blue eyes. He stood about five-eleven, with broad shoulders and a waist that tapered down to accent his muscular chest. He had everything—but a personality. He could attract women, but after a few minutes, he couldn’t keep them interested. That seemed to be his problem tonight. 

Deidra stepped up to the bar to get a beer for herself and Wesley Morgan. She smiled at Charlie, only because it was part of her job. Actually, even standing that close to him made her skin crawl and she hoped that Clem would hurry with those beers. 

“Deidra!” Charlie slipped his hand around her waist and with a jerk, pulled her close to him, “Have a drink with me.” 

She tried to pacify him with a sweet smile as she started to reach for the two beers. “I would, but Wesley is waiting for these and he’s awfully thirsty.” She tried to gently maneuver out of his grip, but he wasn’t letting go. 

“No, you stay here with me. Let Wesley get his own beer and his own girl.” Charlie increased his grip, pinning her arms to her side. He was just getting ready to force another kiss on her, when he heard a sweet young voice call his name. When he turned to find the owner of the voice, he was met instead with a beer mug slamming him hard against his temple. “What the...” 

He let go of Deidra in order to grab his head with both hands and she took the opportunity to slip away from him. The blow left him momentarily stunned. He staggered back against the bar and shook his head several times, trying to regain focus. When his vision began to clear up, he found himself facing a 5 foot 2, angry redhead. She stood with her hands on her hips, eyes blazing.

“You little bitch. Who do you think you are!”

“I think I’m the one that just hit you upside the head and I’m ready to do it again.” Just as he made a move toward her, she reached down and slick as could be, pulled his own gun from the holster. In a split second, she had it flipped around, pointed at his chest, causing him to literally freeze in place. Silence had taken over the bar and it was the aberrant lack of noise that drew Kitty from the back room. “Well, cowboy,” Calleigh assumed a cocky grin, “What do we do now?” 

Charlie’s blue eyes were in stark contrast to his red face. He was enraged at the sudden turn of events, leaving him at the mercy of a woman. “You’re going to regret this. I don‘t care whose daughter you are. You‘re gonna regret it!” His eyes traveled from one redhead to the other. Both trying to humiliate him, to his way of seeing. “You’re both gonna regret it, you best believe!”

“Don’t you ever threaten my family, Charlie Poe! Next time, I will shoot you!” Calleigh challenged his threat with no intention of backing down. The slow clicking of the hammer being cocked emphasized her point. 

Kitty, like everyone else in the bar, could see this situation quickly going from bad to worse. She had intended to step between Calleigh and Charlie; but Calleigh, as if sensing this, took a step sideways blocking her move. Kitty took her only other option. 

“Poe,” she yelled, in a strong voice that did not betray her real fears. “I want you out of here! For good!” 

Charlie’s eyes narrowed into little blue slits as he eyed both women with a look of vengeance. “Sure, take up for that bitch. Both of you ain’t nothing but saloon tramps anyway. You’re all alike, ever last one of you.” 

Calleigh saw that look in his eyes that told her he was considering trying to get his gun back. “You won’t shoot me! No woman is gonna shoot…” 

“I will!” Matt’s seething voice roared from the doorway. “Now back out of here Poe.”

“What about my gun?”

‘You can pick it up at the jail tomorrow. On your way out of town.” 

Poe backed away from Calleigh and stepped past Matt on his way out. “Like I said, you’ll regret this. He pointed directly at Calleigh, to emphasize his point and then disappeared out the door. 

Calleigh looked at the stunned faces around the bar. All eyes were wide open and she could have sworn no one was breathing. She reluctantly looked back at Kitty and knew in that instant, this was going to be her only night working at the Long Branch. She released the hammer, neutralizing the situation and handed it over to Matt. 

Only then did Kitty move, pulling the girl around and into her arms. “You’re fired,” she whispered through grateful tears and in the next breath yelled, “Drinks on the house!” 

Shouts of thanks came from the patrons as they sidled up to the bar. Deidra thanked Calleigh repeatedly for standing up for her. As all of this was going on, Calleigh noted that Matt had patiently taken up a position by the bar. She recognized that special blend of concern and simmering anger that only he could achieve. He nodded toward the back office, letting her know where she’d better be heading. Kitty saw his signal as well and led the way. 

Matt shut the door behind them. “What the hell was that?”

“He was practically molesting her right there at the bar. What was I supposed to do?” Calleigh walked over to stand closer to Kitty. She felt if there was any chance of a sympathizer in this trio, it was going to be her mother.

“You come and you get me!” Matt stepped forward, towering over his daughter, “Do you see this badge? It means I’m the Marshal and it’s my job to handle men like that!” 

Calleigh was right in her decision to stand next to Kitty. She was just so grateful that Calleigh wasn’t hurt, she just wanted it to be over. “She messed up, Matt, but everyone is all right.”

“Kitty, will you stop...” Matt shook his head. He was lost in a mix of anger and fear, and glared at both women, “You are always making excuses for her. She’s going to get herself killed someday!” He pinched his forehead between his thumb and the tips of his fingers. “How are you getting home?”

“Belle is over at Moss’s. Why?”

“We’re going home. Now! Kitty, tell Clem he’ll have to close up. You‘re coming home with me. Calleigh, you go to the jail and wait for me. I’ll be by to get you.”

“I’ll go get Belle an-”

“YOU WILL GO TO THE JAIL LIKE I TOLD YOU TO DO!” There were times to argue with Matt and times to remain quiet. This was definitely a quiet time. Without another word, Calleigh left, heading for the jail and Kitty walked out to make arrangements with Clem.

 

Chapter 4  
Tension on All Sides

Matt was waiting for Kitty to make arrangements with Clem, when he heard the sound of gunfire. “Kitty, you stay here.” He ran out the door, following the sound of the shot. 

“Marshal, back here!” Tom Straker stood at the mouth of the alley, waving his arms to get Matt’s attention. “He’s back here.” 

Matt ran towards Straker and followed him back into the alley. He saw the body, but he was too far away to identify him. “Who is it?” 

The Marshal was almost to the body when Tom rolled him over. There was just enough moonlight to illuminate the face of Charlie Poe. Matt stopped cold, staring at the lifeless body. “Did you see anybody, Tom?” 

“I didn’t see anyone, but I heard someone. I heard a woman.”

“A woman? How do you know that?”

“Only a woman’s high heel shoes make that clicking sound. I know a woman’s footsteps when I hear it.” Tom was getting a little irritated when he felt like the Marshal didn’t seem to believe him. He stopped for a second, then whirled around, pointing toward the encroaching sound. “Just like that!” 

Matt looked up to see the silhouette of a woman standing at the end of the alley. “You! Come here.” 

He started towards her, but stopped when she stepped into the moonlight. “Calleigh?” She continued to walk toward him, her face revealed no guilt or even awareness as to what had happened. “What are you doing here? I told you to wait at the jail.”

“I heard gunshots. I came to see what was going on.” She leaned to one side to try and see around him. “Somebody get shot?”

“Marshal, you need to come see this.” Tom seemed anxious for Matt to follow him. A small crowd was already beginning to gather around the body. When Matt was close enough, Tom knelt down, “Look. He was shot in the back.” 

When Tom stood up, he noticed Calleigh standing just outside the crowd. His brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of what he saw. “It’s Little Doc! She was out here; I saw her walking past the alley. I didn’t think anything of it at the time…” 

Calleigh was standing just far enough back that she was unable to hear Tom’s accusation. She did notice all heads turning to look in her direction. Before she could approach them, Matt went to her.

“Get back to the Long Branch.” His whisper was a low growl. Calleigh's brow furrowed, causing tiny wrinkles to form across her forehead, “Now!!” 

The look in his eyes and the sound of his voice caused a tingling fear to creep up her spine. Without a word, she turned heel and ran back to the bar. Matt returned to the crowd and instructed them to get the body over to Percy Crump’s. He dispersed the crowd and made his way back to the Long Branch. 

 

For the most part, the bar was empty. Clem was putting clean glasses back under the counter and Kitty and Calleigh were sitting at a table by the doors. They both stood when Matt came in. “Matt, what happened?” He heard Kitty’s question but his gaze never left his daughter. “It’s Charlie Poe.”

Calleigh made a face of mild surprise, “Really? Shot?”

“Yeah, he’s dead. Shot in the back.” Matt continued to focus all of his attention on the girl and Kitty had begun to feel a sickening sensation wash over her. 

Calleigh was oblivious to both of them.

“Tom Straker says it was a woman.” Calleigh's head bobbed, as she pondered this latest development. “A woman. That figures.” As she contemplated the last bit of news, she finally began to notice the way Matt was staring at her. “What?” Her eyes widened and she uttered a humorless laugh, “You think I did this!?!” Her tone was nothing short of incredulous “Matt!!”

“Of course he doesn’t think you would do this.” Kitty stepped closer to the girl. Calleigh took a step back, her eyes held the shock she felt coursing through her body, “No! Matt are you going to ask me if I did this? Are you?”

“Calleigh,” he reached out for her, but she snapped back out of his reach. “Let’s talk about this at home.” 

With each blink of her eyes, the sentiment behind her gaze changed from anger to hurt. The two emotions vied for first place, but it was too close to call. “Aren’t you going to arrest me...Marshal?!!” she attached a vile bitterness to the title. 

Matt stepped forward and this time grabbed her arm despite her attempts to elude him. “I said we’re going.”

“Matthew. What’s a goin’ on out thar? I just came in to see if my Calleigh girl would pour me a beer and” 

The image in front of him took precedent over any words. Kitty had a look of fear, unlike any he had ever seen before; and Matthew was holding Calleigh's arm, not with the loving touch of a father, but the harsh grip of a lawman.

Through it all, was an air of pain. All three of them were hurting...and hurting bad. He stepped down the two steps, the jangle of his spurs the only sound to echo in the empty bar. “What’s happenin’ here?” 

Matt suddenly shoved the girl at Festus. “Don‘t mess with getting Belle right now. Take her with you to my house.” Festus steadied Calleigh as she fell against him from the force of the push. “Now! Go now!” Matt’s teeth were clenched and his command wasn’t up for debate. 

Calleigh had never felt so betrayed and angry, at the same time, in her life! She wanted to fling herself away from the hill man and shout at the big man with the badge. Yet, despite the craziness of the moment, deep down she knew that whatever he was doing, he was doing it for her. 

Festus tugged on her hand and they left quickly. He climbed up on Ruth, pulled Calleigh up in front of him and took off for the Lady K. 

When Matt turned around, he was confronted with another set of blue eyes. This time, there was nothing inviting in them. They didn’t sparkle like sapphires, but instead glinted like ice. There were no words that were going to change the look in those eyes—not right now anyway. “Are you ready to lock up?” 

Kitty nodded silently. He looked around the now deserted street as she locked the outer doors. When she finished, she turned to go toward the stable. “Never mind the buggy.” Before she could protest, he had lifted her up onto Buck, mounted up behind her and taken off.

 

ladykladykladykladykladykladyk

 

By the time Matt got home, there was a kitchen full of agitated people waiting for his arrival. Festus had come home by way of the Double O, to get Newly. Doc was already at the Lady K, babysitting Hadley and Cooper.

Kitty preceded her husband into the room and went straight to the cupboard to get the fixings for a pot of coffee. 

Matt didn’t have the luxury of any such distraction. “Can we just sit down and discuss this?” He looked at the two men standing on each side of his daughter, like a pair of sentinels standing guard over her. It hurt him to feel like he was the enemy. “Please.” Again, he looked at Newly, his deputy and Festus, his former deputy. These men knew the law same as he. 

“The coffee is ready, why don’t you all take a seat.” It was Kitty’s gentle voice that swayed them into the chairs around the giant oak table. 

Matt reached across the table for Calleigh's hands, but she pulled back, just out of his reach. He leaned his long body forward and grabbed them again, holding them too tight for her to break free. “Before we go any further with this… Calleigh, I know that you didn’t shoot Charlie Poe.” 

Finally, he felt the tension between them relax ever so slightly. “I love you Calleigh, you know that; and I’m always going to stand behind you. I wanted you as far away from that mess as possible. Some people in town don‘t need much to start rumors.” 

He let go of her hands. Calleigh stood, causing Matt to rise also. They locked eyes and for a moment, everything seemed frozen in place. It was Calleigh that made the first move, straight into her father’s arms. She wasn’t ready to cry, but she was ready to feel the strength of his arms around her. He kissed the crown of curls and broke into a half smile. “Let’s have a cup of that coffee and talk this out.” 

“This is what I know so far: Poe was shot in the back. I don’t know what size gun,” he looked to Doc, “that’s your department. Tom Straker says he heard the clicking of a woman’s high heels...he also claims that he saw you wandering down the street at the end of the alley.”

Now all eyes turned to the suspect. For the first time, Calleigh felt a sense of guilt. “That’s why you were so angry with me.” Suddenly, her father’s actions made sense. “If I had stayed at the jail like you told me, I wouldn’t be in this mess.” 

Matt heaved a heavy sigh and his face expressed relief that she finally understood. “Even as a kid, you never listened to me,” he took a sip of coffee and muttered under his breath, “I guess I should have had Kitty tell you, then you would have done it.” 

It wasn’t so low that both women didn’t hear and each felt a little guilty. 

“What do we do know, Matt?” Newly asked, as he leaned back to let Kitty warm up his cup. “They don’t have any real evidence, do they?”

“No. It would help, Calleigh, if you had a witness as to where you were between the time Poe was shot and Tom saw you walking past the alley.”

“I didn’t see anyone, Matt. I was going to Moss’s for Belle. If Tom had kept watching, he would have seen that I passed by the alley, but kept going. When I heard the shot, I was clear at the end of Front Street. By the time I walked back, the crowd was there and you were walking toward me.”

“How do we all knowd that Tom Straker didn’t just kill Poe his own self?” Festus narrowed one eye and jabbed his bony finger in the air to make his point. 

“Because, unlike our little saloon hostess here, Tom has an alibi. Billy Ackers saw him. They were both at the south end of the alley. Calleigh was at the north end. At least we can be grateful that they both didn’t see her. Then we would‘ve had two witnesses.” 

Kitty stood back, watching the circle of men, all devoted to the girl. All loved her, but only one held her heart—and he was being even more quiet than usual. She saw a look of fear in his eyes—that he knew enough law to know they were in trouble. “Newly, what do you think of all this? Legally I mean.” Sooner or later, they were going to have to face the dilemma. 

His gaze settled on his wife and he leaned over, kissing her cheek. “Well, it is all circumstantial. She was seen in the area. Tom heard a woman running away; and she did threaten to kill him.” It really didn’t sound like much when he laid it out that way. “In her defense, Calleigh grew up here, everyone knows her. She’s happily married and settled down, been practicing medicine for almost six years. Why would she shoot a low life piece of trash like Charlie Poe?”

“I think the way he was shot is important too.” Doc felt it important to interrupt, “Everybody knows what a crack shot Calleigh is. There would be no reason for her to shoot an unarmed man in the back.”

“I’m not sure, but I think I’m starting to feel better.” Calleigh got up to get another cup of coffee and got side tracked by the cookie jar. “Maybe I won’t hang after all.” When she turned back around, she was stunned to see all the serious faces. She had stuffed too big a bite of cookie into her mouth and it took a moment to chew it down. “What?”

“There’s enough to have you arrested!” Matt’s tone was becoming harsh again and Kitty knew that was a sign that he was afraid. “You’re the Marshal’s daughter. There’s going to be people in this town screaming for your head on that point alone. If that doesn’t get them riled up, add to that, your husband is a part-time deputy and your uncle is an ex-deputy. You don’t see a little reason for folks to cry nepotism there? Even the assistant deputy is a long time family friend.” 

It was Festus who suddenly realized there was a missing piece in this family circle, “Whar’s Thad inyways?”

“He rode out to Clive Ferguson’s place and then was going up to Crawford Springs to do some fishing. He won’t be back until tomorrow.” Matt pulled himself to his feet, his weary state evident by the slow movement. “Doc, I have to have you come back into town with me to look at Poe.”

“Matt, it’s so late.” He walked across the kitchen and took Kitty by the shoulders. 

“I know and I’m sorry sweetheart, but it needs to be done as soon as possible.” He leaned down for a brief kiss, “Don’t wait up for me. You need some rest.” He needed to say it; but he could tell by the look on her face that sleep was not going to be possible, whether he was at home or not. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” 

The pow-wow was over and they began to leave the table, almost as fast as they had assembled. Within a few minutes, Kitty found herself alone in an empty kitchen. A heavy stillness hung over the room, causing her to shiver with a premonition that something bad was heading their way. 

 

docdocdocdocdocdocdocdoc

 

Matt followed Doc’s buggy into town. Both men were separately thinking the same thing. Doc left his buggy at Moss Grimmick’s and walked back to Percy Crump’s with Matt. Walking didn’t inspire any more conversation than riding had. Doc opened the tools he had brought for the job and began to examine Poe's body. Matt kept going over the circumstantial evidence. He was hoping that by morning, in the light of day, things wouldn’t look so bad. He actually felt himself relax just a tad when he thought about her reputation. Calleigh O’Brian was one of Dodge City’s most predominant citizens. Why surely

His thoughts were interrupted when Doc called to him, “Matt, you need to see this.” Doc wiped his forearm across his forehead as he waited for the marshal. “He was shot once in the back. I dug out the bullet,” he held it up between his thumb and forefinger.” It’s a .41 caliber.” They looked at the bullet and then at each other, “A derringer.” 

They both knew that Calleigh carried a derringer. Matt’s stoic expression hid nothing from Doc; he had known the lawman too long. “Calleigh is not the only woman in town to carry a derringer. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Marshal, I uh, I need to talk to you,” Percy Crump had been standing at the back of the room while Doc did his exam. He had heard the anger in the big man’s words and he was dreading what he was about to say. Unfortunately, he knew he had no choice. “When the boys were getting Poe’s body out of the alley, they found this laying just off to the side.” 

He hesitated slightly and then held the discovered object in the palm of his hand. The two men stared, wide-eyed, as though Percy were holding a rattlesnake. “Marshal, I’m an old man and I lose things all the time. I could easily lose” 

Matt looked into the rheumy eyes of his old friend. He held up his hand to stop him before he could say another word. Like several other long-time residents in this town, Percy considered Calleigh to be a child of Dodge. She wasn’t born here, but she had come in a unique way and many of them felt they all had a hand in raising her. Percy nodded and quietly left the building. 

Matt held the tiny gun and looked up at Doc. The tiny silver caduceus, embossed on the pearl handle, did all but scream Calleigh's name. “It’s the one you gave her when she started going out on rounds in the country.” Matt’s huge body seemed to crumple, but with a stroke of luck, there was a crate in the right position to catch him. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but she did not do this, Doc.” 

The older man laid a hand on Matt’s shoulder. “That doesn’t even have to be said.” 

“But it does. Maybe not between us, but... Doc we are in so much trouble here. The whole town is going to expect me to arrest her.” He stood up and started to walk away, almost in a daze. “Kitty’s going to hate me.”

“Matt, where are you going?”

“I have to send a telegram, Doc.”

 

Chapter 5  
Walking Whiskey

Kitty heard Matt coming in the front door. She sat in the big overstuffed chair in their bedroom, waiting for him to appear. When too much time had passed, she rose from the chair and quietly made her way down the stairs. 

It wasn’t a big surprise to see him in the study, pouring himself a drink. “Hey cowboy, got one of those for me?” 

He turned around and chugged the glass of whiskey. Matt studied the crystal glass, staring at the exquisite etchings and wondering why he had never paid any attention to it before. “These are beautiful. Where did you get them?” 

She edged her way closer to him, maintaining her cool facade. “Special ordered from New Orleans. Glad you like them.”

“I’m a lucky man. I’ve never deserved you, Kitty,” he stopped long enough to refill his glass. “Have I told you how proud I am of you. Everything you do is...Perfect!” He pronounced that last word with such clarity, and just a touch of envy. One more drink and he continued his rant, “You’ve given me two beautiful children—and Calleigh,” a sorrowful laugh escaped, “I wouldn’t even have her if it wasn’t for you. And this home…”

“Matt,” Kitty interrupted her husband’s litany of compliments, “How much of that have you had tonight?” 

He held up the bottle of Tennessee Walking Whiskey, which she determined was a full bottle earlier and now was more than half empty. “I did grab what was left of that bottle of rotgut I have in the drawer at work, to drink on the way home, but this...” A big smile crossed his face, but it held no real humor. “Of course, you would buy only the best for me.” 

Kitty leaned back against the over-sized, flat, mahogany desk, just a couple of feet from where he stood—or to be more accurate—where he swayed. Still maintaining a soft, nonthreatening tone, she tried to speak to him again. “Matt, sweetheart, are you...angry with me?”

“Hmm...angry, with you?!” He offered her a drunken grin, “No, I’m just pointing out all that you do for me; and look how I repay you. What have I given you all these years? This!” He stuck out his chest to display the silver badge. “I guess it hasn’t caused enough damage, ‘cause now it wants my daughter.” He staggered in her direction and fell against the desk. “This is the biggest desk I have ever seen. All this leather on top and pearl stuff around the edges,” he tipped his head with a drunken grin, “I’ll bet you picked it out special. Am I right?”

“I did,” she replied softly. In all their years together she had seen him in pretty much every emotional situation possible; but this was a new one. Kitty had no idea as to where he was going, or what was driving him. 

“It is so big...” He stood, his giant body swaying beside the massive piece of carved wood. Suddenly, with his free hand, he swiped everything from the desk, sending it crashing to the floor. Despite his impromptu act, Kitty managed to conceal her shock. Matt finished off the bottle and then threw it down. He stepped around the corner of the desk and grabbed her around the waist pulling her against him, “Of course I’m not angry.” 

Despite his words, his tone was harsh, his voice becoming louder. He reeked of desperation, “Don’t you understand what I’m trying to tell you?!! I am about to destroy everything that you have built for this family. No, no wait...” He gave up a sick laugh, “I’m about to destroy ‘this family’ and you are going to hate me. I don’t know if I can bear that.”

In the next instant, his hands slid under her legs and he snatched her up, only to lay her onto the leather bound desk. With one leg still on the floor, it took him a couple of tries to climb onto the desk to straddle her body. Kitty lay on her back looking up at the man she loved. “I want to make love to you one more time, while you still love me.” He fumbled with the tiny pearl buttons at the top of her gown, quickly becoming irritated with his inability to maneuver the delicate pieces. “Damn it...I can’t...” In a fit of frustration, he grabbed the material surrounding the immoveable object and ripped it apart. “Oh, hell!” 

Tears began to roll down the side of her face. Kitty felt fear, but not for herself. She feared for him, for whatever was causing him this much pain. The virgin white lace lay brutally ripped open, revealing her naked breasts. He saw them rise and fall with each labored breath. Matt saw her tears, saw her crying and saw fear in her eyes. He looked as though he had been sucker-punched in the gut. He stared at Kitty, his eyes slowly taking in the entire picture. The fog of alcohol was ripped away and he no longer had the luxury of hiding in that drunken haze. 

The room was quiet, except for the synchronized clicking of the pendulum going back and forth in the grandfather clock. One leg slowly reached down for the floor and then the other. His eyes were blinking, slow and wide, as though he were watching his own actions play out in front of him. “My God, Kitty. I wasn‘t going to...” He turned around and slid down the side of the hand-carved slab of mahogany, coming to rest on the floor. 

Kitty slipped off the leather padding and dropped down beside him. She pulled him into her arms, trying to comfort him and stop his tears. He hid his face in the curve of her neck. “Baby I am so sorry. I would never force you...” He held her tighter, trying to make the image go away. “I just wanted to make love to you, one more time before you hate me. You looked so scared; I‘m so sorry.”

“I know that. I wasn’t afraid of you, Matt; I was afraid for you.” Her voice was soothing and her words rang true in his heart; he knew she wasn‘t afraid of him. She held his face in her hands, trying to kiss away his hurts. “Matt, I could never stop loving you, any more than I could stop breathing.” Kitty stood up and helped pull him to his feet. “Let’s get you up to bed.” 

His head was spinning and he was feeling sick. The spinning was a result of the alcohol. The nausea was from finding the derringer. Kitty finally maneuvered him up the stairs and into the bedroom. She helped him take off his clothes and then got him into bed. He sat back, leaning against the headboard. Kitty disappeared again and then reappeared with a cloth and a basin of cool water. “Lay back and relax.” She began to take the cool wet rag and gently wash his face. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” 

Matt closed his eyes taking comfort in the feeling of her hands and the cool cloth on his face. “They found Calleigh's little derringer in the alley with Poe's body. Doc says he was shot with it.” 

The ministrations stopped and he opened his eyes, confronting her stunned expression. “The whole town is going to expect me to arrest her. Kitty, I’ve seen people hang with less evidence than this. ” 

Kitty put the tips of her finger to his lips. “Don’t you ever say that! I know you, Matt Dillon; like no one on this earth does and I know you will not let her down. You will move heaven and earth if you have to, but you will find out who did this!” 

He lifted one hand, letting his fingers brush down the side of her cheek, to the smooth silky surface of her throat. Matt Dillon; whom everyone thought of as a man of steel. If they only knew, he thought. This woman was his real strength. “I wish I hadn’t drunk so much, because I sure would like to make love to you right now.” 

Kitty laughed softly and pacified him with a kiss, “Let that be a lesson to you. Next time, wait for me.” 

 

O’BrianO’BrianO’BrianO’Brian

 

Newly put the horses into the barn and walked slowly back to the house. He knew that, more than likely, Calleigh would be arrested tomorrow. There were those few people in town who would demand it. He couldn’t wrap his brain around the thought of his Calleigh in jail. For murder. And which one of her loved ones would have the honor of arresting her? 

The sound of Calleigh calling his name pulled him from his brooding thoughts. She stood on the back porch waving to him. “I thought you got lost,” she said as he came closer. 

His face was sheathed in torment and it broke her heart. Calleigh opened her arms to him, which finally brought a hint of a smile to his face. Their bodies seemed to naturally fit together, arms around each other; her head nestled against his chest, “I’m sorry Newly.” 

His arms tightened around her, “Sorry for being you, or sorry that you make my life so happy?” 

Calleigh pulled back and searched his face, “I think you have ‘chaos’ mixed up with ‘happy’.”

“Too much talk.” His words disappeared into a kiss. As he pulled back, the first thing he saw was the light of a thousand stars, reflecting in her eyes. Clear blue, like the brightest summer sky. Eyes that spoke to him in a way words never could, they conveyed more love than he could comprehend. They laughed and cried, but most of all they were filled with truth. She slipped from his arms, never releasing her gaze from his. 

Calleigh reached behind her and pulled something from the old wooden chair beside the porch. “Calleigh, what are you up to?” He watched her produce a blanket and proceed to spread it out on the ground. Then he watched, with great enthusiasm, as she began to shed the garments impeding her objective. Newly felt the air abandon his lungs as he beheld her naked body, bathed only in the light of the moon. With every breath, her breast would rise and fall, beckoning him to touch, to taste. 

Her voice was warm and seductive as she drew him to her. “Wouldn’t you be more comfortable out of those confining clothes?” Her nimble fingers began to undo the buttons on his shirt. He didn’t need any persuasion to rid himself of the rest.

Newly knelt beside his wife and pulled her into his arms. He let his lips talk for him in the form of kisses, that he lavished on her body. She moaned softly in response as her lithe body moved under him, needing as much as wanting him. There was a simultaneous gasp as their bodies joined, becoming one. Calleigh wrapped her legs around Newly, drawing him closer; needing him to make this ugliness go away, if only for a little while. And he did. They moved together in the dance of lovers, gently at first, then eager to find release until they both spiraled into a state of pure pleasure. 

Calleigh rolled over laying her head on Newly’s chest. The sound of his beating heart made her feel safe and secure. She waited until his breathing had resumed a normal rhythm before offering an explanation. “I know you are going to have to arrest me tomorrow. I didn’t want to feel the walls around me tonight.” 

Newly stroked his hands lightly down her back. “You know I can’t do that. I’ll turn in my badge first.”

“You and I both know there are going to be certain people who’ll raise hell if I’m not in jail.” She could hear and feel his heartbeat escalate and knew he was becoming angry. 

“I don’t give a damn what those people want! I’m not putting you in jail for something you didn’t do.” 

Calleigh raised up, crossing her arms over his chest and resting her chin on her hands. He looks so serious, so scared, she thought. “Pretty sure of that are ya?” 

“Calleigh Reign O’Brian, you are a lot of things, and not all of them good,” now it was his turn to sport a wicked grin, “But one thing you are not is a back shooter. Now, if he had just been shot, say, between the eyes... then maybe I’d have to ask. And I can’t see Matt arresting you either.”

“I grew up hating that badge, but still respecting it. Now if you two quit because of me, what does that say about the law? It’s only for other people? That I’m above the law because I’m the Marshal’s daughter, or Deputy’s wife? That’s not how I was raised, Newly.” 

He could tell she was no longer playing with him. Newly rolled over, which in turn rolled Calleigh onto her back, looking up at him. “I don’t care what it looks like, Calleigh. You’re not going to jail!”

She pulled him down and pressed her lips onto his. “I don’t want to fight, not tonight. Please.” 

He wanted to make her understand. To stand firm on his decision. That’s what he wanted, but she was so naked and so desirable, he just couldn’t stand his ground. Not tonight. His arms encircled her body and they started the dance again beneath the canopy of stars.

Chapter 6  
Arrested

When Matt opened the door of the jail, he was greeted by a handful of angry people and a very confused deputy. Thad stood in the middle of the crowd, trying to get them to calm down and speak one at a time. 

Matt stepped into the room and like a magnet, drew everyone’s attention. His attempt to silence them by motioning with his hands failed, so he resorted to shouting, “QUIET! ALL OF YA!” 

Silence came almost instantly. “Now what is it you want?” 

Hacket Filbert was the first to speak up. Matt had arrested him and his brother several times for drunk and disorderly and each time, Filbert swore he would get even. Now was his chance. “I want to know why that woman hasn’t been arrested! Why isn’t she in jail!”

“Yeah, I wann-” 

“All right!” Matt stopped Crail Beobs from joining in. “We are going over the evidence now. I’ve done my job as Marshal here for almost twenty years and I will do it this time. Now, you go on back to your jobs and I’ll do mine.” He managed to intimidate the crowd enough for them to leave, grumbling, but peaceful. He then found himself looking at a very perplexed deputy. 

“I’m hoping against hope that Bethany made coffee this morning.” Matt rubbed his temples, wishing he hadn’t finished off all that whiskey last night, as he eased himself into his chair. Thad poured him a cup and set it on the corner of the desk. Matt took a couple of drinks before commencing his explanation, “How much did you understand from all that?” 

“They were all talking at once and I couldn’t get a lot of detail. Just that Calleigh shot someone. What’s going on Matt?” He refilled his own cup, but when he returned to the seat in front of the marshal’s desk, he chose to stand instead. 

“Charlie Poe was shot in the back last night with a derringer. That crowd doesn’t know this part, but Calleigh's little derringer was discovered in the alley, not far from where his body was found. And Tom Straker saw her wandering around after hearing the shot. He’s pretty much got her wrapped up with a bow.” 

For a moment, Thad was speechless. He was trying to connect Calleigh with such a murder, “Shot in the back? Calleigh? Our Calleigh?” The choice of sitting was suddenly taken from him, as he unconsciously dropped down with a thud into the chair. “Well, Charlie Poe is a piece of work and I’m not surprised someone shot him, but why would she...wait a minute. Why would Calleigh even know Charlie Poe?”

“Calleigh's crazy idea; she talked Kitty into letting her work at the Long Branch for one night. Charlie was harassing Deidra Fennell and of course, Calleigh had to jump right in the middle of things. She smacked him up side of the head with a beer mug and then before he even knew what happened, she managed to pull his gun from its holster and turn it on him.” 

Despite the gravity of the situation, that did bring a grin to the young deputy’s face. “Okay, now that’s our Calleigh. That‘s a story I can believe.” But the grin quickly faded as reality slipped back in, “What do we do now?”

“It’s not going to be ‘we’. I don’t know if I can’t, or won’t, I just know I’m not going arrest my daughter.” Matt pulled the badge from his shirt and laid it on the desk. Before he could speak again, the office door opened, ushering in the would-be criminal. “Calleigh, what are you doing here?”

Her gaze fell upon the silver badge laying abandoned on the desk. “I figured you would do something like this. If you want to retire at the end of this year, I am all for it. I have wanted you to give up this job so many times over the last fifteen years, for so many reasons.” She stepped closer and picked up the star, rubbing her thumb across the engraved letters. “But not for this. You‘re not going to walk away, after all these years, in disgrace.” She handed it to him, but he refused to take it. Calleigh dropped her hand to her side, still clutching the badge, “Thad, can I have a cup of that coffee?”

“Sure, Calleigh.” Thad felt caught in the tension between these two. She had inherited Matt’s stubborn nature and he couldn’t envision either of them backing down. This was a no-win situation, he thought, as he handed her the coffee.

“Thank you.” She settled herself in the chair by the door. “Garth Ribeth was out at the Lady K this morning. He says my gun was found by the body. I checked my reticule and it was gone. Of course I knew it would be, after Garth described it.” She paused long enough to take a drink “I did not shoot Charlie Poe, but I will not hide behind my family and friends. I have a sneaking suspicion that Newly is going to turn in his badge as well. Matt, I don‘t want that from either of you.” She stood up, finished her coffee and set down the empty cup. “Marshal Dillon, I am here to surrender to you. If you won’t take me, I’ll ride to Hays and turn myself in there.” 

Calleigh waited and watched for a response from Matt, but none came. “Okay, I’m off to Hays.” She turned for the door, but before she could make an exit, Matt was behind her. His huge hand crossed in front of her face and slammed the door shut once again. “All right. Consider yourself under arrest, but you’re out on bail.” 

Calleigh turned and leaned back against the door. She sighed and looked up at her father with a doubtful scowl. “Granted I’m a doctor, not a lawyer, but I’m pretty sure that only a judge can set bail.” Matt cast a look at Thad for help, even though they both knew she was right. “When will the judge be through here?”

“I’ll send a telegram today and see who is closest. It will take Brooker two days to get here from Hays. I’ll try to find Danbe; maybe he’s closer.” She could hear the frustration in his voice.

“I won’t die in there.” She looked at both the long faces. “You will feed me, right?” Still all she got was silence. Another sympathetic sigh escaped as she walked over to Thad and planted a kiss to his cheek. Then she walked over to her dad. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she hugged him tight and kissed him. “You guys don’t have time to be sad, you need to find out who did this.” 

When the door opened behind them, they were surprised to see Bethany. Thad met her at the door, slightly embarrassed. “This is not a good time, Bethany. We”

She gave him a smile as she cut him off in mid sentence, “As much as I enjoy seeing you, I‘m here on business. I got a telegram from my father, asking me to get a room for him and my mother at the Dodge House. They will be here late tomorrow night.” 

Both Calleigh and Thad turned with questioning eyes toward Matt. “I wired him last night, after the gun was found. Don’t bother with the Dodge House, Bethany. They’ll be staying with us.”

“Well, I have to get back to work. Can I bring you anything, Calleigh?” She was quick to offer a much-needed smile, along with a tempting offer, “We happen to have some fresh apple pie.”

“Apple Pie??!” Calleigh made a face of approval. “Jail might not be so bad after all.” 

 

gsgsgsgsgsgsgsgsgsgsgs

 

It took a little time, work and patience to calm Newly down, but Calleigh finally managed. It was agreed that HE would be on duty while his wife was a prisoner. Little Doc’s patients began to show up with ailments and complaints, turning the jail into her own, private clinic. 

Both Hacket Filbert and Crail Beobs stopped by to make sure she had been arrested. Neither were satisfied to see that she wasn’t confined to a cell, but they were shouted down by the rest of the town. The majority of Dodge City was angry about the arrest in the first place, so they figured her staying in the office was good enough for them. 

Festus had stopped by to make sure she had everything she needed. He offered to make coffee, but Newly quickly offered to go across the street to the Prairie Rose and get coffee for all of them. Calleigh was so engrossed in the latest issue of The American Medical Monthly that Doc had dropped off, she didn‘t notice that Festus was her temporary jailer.

“What cha readen there, Calleigh girl?” He peered over her shoulder, seeing nothing but a jumble of letters, no pictures at all. Whatever she was reading seemed to have completely captured her attention. Again, he asked the question, “Calleigh, what’s so fasinatin? Is it doctoring stuff?”

“I’m sorry, what?” She responded, but her eyes never left the page. 

“Must be powerful interestin, huh? What’s it about?”

“Hmmmm?”

“Iz it bout ways to savin’ or helpen people?

“What? Kind of, yeah, it’s about research.”

“Resurch? What’s they searchin’ for?” 

Calleigh frowned, irritated by the interruption; but the genuine curiosity on the hill man’s face reminded her how much she loved this man. “Research. It means they are studying ways to find cures for things.”

“Whal, what’ere you readen there about curin?”

“This particular article is about Rodent Ulcers.” 

The haggard looking man drew back, his eyes squinting at her suspiciously. “Er you a pullin my leg? Why wud you care if a nasty ol’ rat got an ulcer!”

Calleigh grinned and laid the magazine in her lap, “It’s a form of ulcers on humans. This article is by Dr. Jonathan Hutchinson, who’s been researching it.” She knew he still didn’t understand, but he was satisfied that she had taken the time to explain. “I could read this later, if you want to play a game of checkers.”

“Now, that’s sumthin I do understand!” While Festus was retrieving the checkerboard, Newly returned with the coffee and a surprise. “Look what I found, wandering the streets.” He stepped aside, allowing two of the Long Branch’s beauties, Shawna and Deidra, to walk in ahead of him. 

He handed one of the cups he had retrieved from the Prairie Rose to Festus and suggested they sit outside the office, to get away from the girl talk. Just before they headed out the door, Calleigh saw Newly set down the cup of coffee he had purchased for her. She also saw the dessert box and knew he had brought her a piece of pie. She grinned at the lawman and he winked at her as he went out the door. 

Calleigh turned her attention back to her visitors. “So what’s going on at the Long Branch?” 

Deidra giggled, “Well, it’s not as exciting without you there. Vanetta and Sorrel will visit you later. Clem won‘t let us all leave at the same time.” Her grin faded a little “I’m sure sorry. I feel like I got you into this. If you hadn’t stepped in to help me...” The dark haired beauty offered what looked like a smile, but it hinted of sadness as well. “He was such a pig! He wouldn’t leave any of us alone.” 

Calleigh reached out and took Deidra’s hands. “It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, but Poe.”

“I should have known you would jump right in there. Even when we were kids, you couldn’t stay out of a fight!”

”Not an unfair one,” Calleigh made no attempt to deny it. She paused and looked at both girls. “I didn’t shoot him. I would never shoot anyone in the back. I swear.”

“Oh, Calleigh, we know that.” Shawna was quick to accept her word. “I just can’t believe they arrested you. I mean, the marshal is your dad and you’re…well, your family is like royalty here in Dodge.”

“The law is the law, no matter who you are.” Calleigh drew back for just an instant, when she heard her dad’s words coming out of her own mouth. “Guess I never realized what that meant until now,” she mumbled more to herself than the other girls. 

“But you’re innocent. I mean, they don’t send innocent people to jail, do they?” Shawna’s’ brilliant green eyes searched Calleigh face for confirmation. “My gosh, they won’t...hang you...will they?”

“No, I don’t think they will hang me.” She did her best to soothe the pretty blonde, even though the visit was supposed to be for Calleigh’s encouragement. “You’re worried about hanging and I haven’t even had a trial yet!”

“I heard Bethany’s dad is your attorney—all the way from Boston. She says he’s the best.” Deidra rested on the corner of the desk, “Of course, he is her dad so, she’s probably prejudiced. Do we get to testify for you? Charlie Poe had so many enemies; I’m surprised he wasn’t shot before this.” She crossed her long legs and tugged at the short work dress to cover as much as possible. “I wish he would have just left Dodge, like he said he was.” 

“He told you he was going to leave Dodge?” Shawna asked, as she toyed with the checkers Festus had left on the table. 

“Yeah, he told everybody. And he was trying to get one of us girls to go with him. Fat chance of that.” She started to laugh, but a little piggy-snort slipped out in its place. With a red face and both hands covering her mouth, she slipped down off the desk. “Will always makes fun of me when I do that.”

Calleigh and Shawna were laughing just as hard, although both managed to avoid making any animal sounds. The young prisoner finally stopped long enough to give Deidra some advice, “If he still wants to marry you after hearing you make that sound, you better grab him up!”

“I plan on it, as soon as possible.” Deidra glanced out the window and saw the two men, supposedly guarding the jail. “How is Newly handling this?”

“He’s worried about me, of course.”

“You say that so casually. I hear from Bethany that he hardly eats and he certainly looks exhausted.” Deidra turned her attention from the two men outside back to her friend. “He really loves you Calleigh. This has got to be killing him.” 

Shawna grabbed Deidra by the arm and pulled her toward the door. “We better get back. Clem will have a fit if we stay gone too long.” They stopped long enough to give Calleigh a hug before slipping out the door. 

She heard them telling Newly goodbye, then coaxing Festus into coming down to the saloon for a beer. Newly assured him everything would be okay, that he could handle the prisoner alone. When he poked his head inside the jail, he wasn’t a bit surprised to see his wife sampling the pie he had brought her earlier. “Good?”

“Mmmmm,” As usual, her mouth was too full to respond. Newly kissed her cheek, then walked past her to sit down at the desk. “Have a nice visit?”

“I did.” Calleigh said, as she finally swallowed the bite. She looked at her husband and then at the remaining dessert. He did look tired; why had she not noticed how much this was wearing on him? She set the pie back in the box, along with the fork. Newly had a puzzled look as he watched her set her favorite pastry aside and walk around the desk.

“Is this seat taken?” She did a little twirl and plopped down on his lap. Calleigh wrapped her arms around Newly’s neck and pulled him close for a kiss. He could taste the sweet remains of the apples and spices, mixed in with the sweetness that was naturally Calleigh. His hands ran down the smooth lines of her back and settled on her small, rounded bottom. “I love you, Newly. I need you to know that.” 

He stared into the pair of blue eyes that ruled his world. “Baby the one thing in this world I never doubt, is you loving me. Now what’s going on? You’re giving up a piece of pie for me?”

“This is going to sound strange coming from me, but I need you to be serious for a minute.” This comment did elicit a rather shocked look from the deputy. “I know how crazy I make you and I know you’re probably the only man in the world that would put up with me but”

“Calleigh! I’m the ‘only man’ lucky enough to put up with you.” He pulled her tight against him, allowing her to let down her guard. Newly gave her leave to be scared, a side of her only he was privileged to see.

“I just love you so much.” She let the tears flow, washing away her fear. 

“More than that piece of pie?” He tilted her tear stained face toward his. “I’ve never seen you pass it up before.” 

She sniffled back the tears and swiped the back of her hand across her eyes. “You’re awful excited; it was just a piece of pie.” 

“No, it was you choosing me over something that you have loved since you were a little kid.” He finished wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Every day, we show each other one more little way that we love one another. Calleigh, that is the thing that is going to take us to the end together.” He could see the twinkle resurfacing in her eyes, and he knew the old Calleigh was back. 

“It’s a really nice night. Think I could sit out there on the boardwalk with you?” Calleigh slipped her arms around her jailer. “You could handcuff me...again.” She licked her lips in a seductive move and tightened her hold on him. “Remember when we-” 

Newly silenced her with a kiss. Yes, he did remember ‘when’; but this was neither the time nor the place. The kiss went from playful, to serious, in a moment. Even though they had been together, they’d had no real privacy and neither was content with that part of the arrangement. 

“Come on, let’s get you outside to cool off.” He dusted off one of the wooden chairs for Calleigh. She gave him a half-curtsey in lieu of a verbal thank you and sat down. “Have you guys found out anything?”

“I’m wondering if Tom is mistaken about it being a woman? We found an awful lot of men that disliked Poe enough to kill him. So far, we can’t find a woman at all in his life. Well, none that liked him anyway. Festus left late last night for Stillwater. That’s Poe's hometown. Maybe we can find someone there. He probably won‘t be back for at least a couple of weeks or more, but we’re out of leads.” 

The town was quiet, the street clear, so it was easy to spot a couple riding towards them. “It’s Matt and Kitty.” Calleigh stood up as they neared the jail. “Wonder why she brought the buggy?” Matt arrived first and threw Buck’s reins over the rail. Then he went over and helped Kitty out of the buggy. Her first objective was Calleigh and she wasn‘t satisfied until she was able to hug the girl. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Really. How are the kids? I’ve never gone this long without seeing them. I miss them.”

“They miss you too. We told Cooper that you were taking care of a patient out of town. I’m not sure he believes me, because you didn’t tell him goodbye. Hadley just keeps asking ‘where Sissy’ over and over and over.” They laughed, both knowing how repetitive the little girl could be. For the second time today, Calleigh fought back tears. 

Kitty saw her beginning to break down and pulled her back into her arms. “It’s going to be all right. They’ll be driving you crazy in no time.” 

The truth was, they never drove her crazy. Calleigh had little tolerance for a lot of things, but she had endless patience with those two. They were definitely her weak spot. “Whew,” Calleigh blew out a deep breath and opened her eyes wide to brace herself against the tears. “So why are you here so late?” 

Matt laid his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze, “Barlow and Betsy are coming in on the late train.” He turned his attention to Kitty, “Speaking of them, I’m going to go to the station. Do you want to stay here with Calleigh?” Kitty nodded and slipped her arm around the girl’s waist. 

“Okay, I’ll be back soon.” 

 

Chapter 7  
The Madsons

Matt rode into Dodge on Buck, while Kitty brought the Madsons in the buggy. They had spent some time with Calleigh the night before, but it was late when they arrived and they were both tired from traveling. 

As much as Kitty wanted to play hostess, she knew they both wanted to see their daughter, so it only made sense to have breakfast at the Prairie Rose, rather than at the ranch. The three of them went ahead to the restaurant, while Matt went to the jail to get his prisoner. 

“But I’m not supposed to leave the jail?”

“You can meet with your lawyer,” Matt corrected her, in a brusque tone, displaying his growing irritation, “…and you are under guard of a US Marshal—and in a minute, his deputy as well. I think that should cover it.”

He grabbed her hand and started across the street. She had to laugh, as he hadn’t led her by the hand since she was twelve years old. Newly was waiting at the restaurant. He too, hid a smile at the sight of the big, somewhat agitated man, pulling Calleigh along like a child. Tia greeted them inside and directed them to one of the private rooms in the back. 

Betsy and Barlow were in a corner with Bethany. Even though their conversation was too soft to be overheard, it was easy to tell that they were very impressed with their daughter’s accomplishments. Barlow gave his daughter a hug, excused himself from his family and crossed the room to speak to his client. 

Just as he had been at their very first meeting some ten years ago, he was still totally impressed with the young redhead. “Ready to get started, Calleigh?” She nodded and took her seat in the chair he was holding for her. “I’ve heard the events of that evening from your folks, but I need to hear your accounting of what occurred.”

“Where do you want me to start?”

“Um, start before the fight.” He wiped the corner of his mustache, which immediately put her in mind of Poppy. That little mannerism helped to put her completely at ease. “Start with the morning.”

“The morning?”

“Someone took that gun from your bag. Do you have any idea when it came up missing?”

“No. I know it was in there the night before, because Cooper dropped my bag and everything fell out.”

“Okay, then that means it was taken the following day. So, start at the beginning.”

Calleigh started to recite her activities on that fateful day, from the time she woke up, until the time she found herself in trouble. Unfortunately, it didn’t narrow down the time of the theft, as she had left the bag unguarded several times. When she was done, she looked at Newly, as if needing his support. He reached under the table in search of her hand and gave it a squeeze. 

“Matt, have you heard from Judge Danbe?”

“We have a bit of a problem with that. Judge Rambeau, from Wichita, has put in a request to officiate at the trial.”

The name caught Kitty’s attention and she repeated it without realizing she had said it out loud.

“I’m sensing by your reactions this is not a good thing. Is he crooked, Matt?”

“No, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that. Several years ago, we ‘disagreed’ on his interpretation of the law. There was a gunslinger turned homesteader named Brandon Teeks. He was trying hard to change his life… he’d gotten married and was expecting a baby any day. Anyway, he forgot to file the paperwork on his land in a timely manner…and they sent me out to evict him. He had worked that land for a year; I thought the whole thing was unfair. So… I went to Wichita to talk to Rambeau. Finally, found him in his ‘preferred workplace’—the saloon across the street from his office. He’s a hard nose, by-the-book kind of judge—and I told him so. Told him he hadn’t learned how to handle power.”

“I remember you told me about that. It didn’t help when you humiliated his Deputy Sheriff either.” Newly added. “Sounds like he’s asked for this case just to get a little revenge, don’t you think?”

“Well, I can’t say this will be the first time I’ve stood before a judge that was biased. Makes it harder, but not unwinnable. What about bail?”

Matt glanced at his daughter and son-in-law, “He said he would have to see about bail when he gets here.”

“It’s already been a week! This is just unconscionable.” Barlow could tell he was not the only one upset by this vindictive judge. “This, Tom Straker, he’s sure it was a woman?”

“He hasn’t changed a word of his story.”

“Would there be any reason for him to lie?”

“I don’t think so. I’ve treated his kids and wife...and as far as I know, he was never unhappy with my services.” Calleigh threw her hands up in a gesture of helplessness.

Barlow toyed with his napkin, folding and unfolding it. This time he directed his question to Kitty. “There were four other girls working that night. Can you account for all of them?”

”Vanetta, Sorrel, and Deidra were all on the floor. I went into the back room for a few minutes and that’s when the confrontation happened between Calleigh and Charlie Poe. All three girls were in the saloon at that time and they were all there after we threw him out. Shawna was sick—upstairs in bed the whole time.”

“Barlow seemed to perk up. “How do you know she was in bed?”

Kitty looked at Calleigh to answer this one. “I checked on her in the afternoon and came back later to give her some sleeping powders. I also checked on her at one point during the evening and she was out like a light.”

“Hmm. Okay, I still want to talk to all of them.”

Bethany entered the room, with Tia close behind. “We are ready to start serving, if everyone is ready.”

The legal issue was set aside for the time being and dinner conversation returned to the subject of old friends, children and the romance of one restaurant manager and one deputy.

Chapter 8  
Judge Rambeau

Judge Rambeau listened patiently while Madson made his request for bail. The room was filled to capacity and then some. This was definitely going to be a major event in Dodge City. His gaze traveled around the makeshift courtroom that had been set up in the Dodge House. 

So, this was Dillon’s family. He had to admit, the arrogant man did have an attractive wife and daughter. Attractive, but hardly what he would call genteel or refined. He had done a little checking up before coming here. The wife was nothing but an ex-saloon girl. Information about the daughter was a little more scarce and mostly found in rumor mills. From what he could determine, she was their daughter, born several years before they were married. Dressing them in fine, expensive clothing did not change what they were.

It had been a lot of years since that cow-town peace officer had shown the audacity to challenge his decision. Telling him, a Judge, that he had never learned to use his power. The final straw was when he had sent Jim Haley, his Deputy-Sheriff, to do the job that Dillon had refused to carry out. There had been a fracas and Dillon had humiliated Haley, sending him back to Wichita with his tail between his legs. Finally, the time for the high and mighty Matt Dillon’s comeuppance had arrived. With an inner smirk, the Judge thought that he would not resort to unfair rulings; but they would be exact, to the letter of the law.

“Judge Rambeau...Judge?” Madson stood waiting for the Judge’s ruling. 

Rambeau pulled himself from his reverie. “I just don’t think I can grant bail on such a case. The man was shot in the back.” He grimaced, as though it were a tough decision, when he was almost giddy inside. “No, I just don’t”

“Judge. I’m sorry to interrupt, but according to the law, there were no actual witnesses. She is still innocent until proven guilty. As I pointed out, she has a perfect reputation. Her home is here, her husband and family; and most of the people packed into this courtroom are her friends. Doctor O’Brian has already been in jail for more than a week.”

Rambeau felt his decision slipping away. “And who would I release her to? Her father? Her husband?”

Joel Dillard said a silent prayer, giving thanks that he was the prosecutor on this case and not the defense attorney. They had sent him here from Hays and until today, he had never laid eyes on this judge. However, ten years experience taught him, he wasn’t going to have to do too much to win this case. Obviously, there was tension between Rambeau and the other side. It was too soon to tell if it was Madson, or the client, but he certainly had it out for someone. Joel was happy not to be on the other side; but this was not how he liked to win a case. 

He was a fair man and expected to run a fair trial. This was going to be a travesty. His gaze settled on Madson and he couldn’t hide his disdain for Rambeau’s abuse of power.

Madson bit his tongue, as he was forced to accept the animosity coming from the bench. This was definitely something he was going to have to work around. “Considering these two men carried out the law and took her in to custody, I would say they both have proven themselves to be above reproach.” He tried to keep the trace of arrogance from his argument, but it was still discernible. Rambeau set his jaw in an angry gesture as he let the silence grow, while searching his years of experience for an acceptable reason to deny bail. He must have taken too long, because somewhere from the back of the room, a male voice shouted out “Let her go!” 

That one cry of protest produced an outburst of similar cries. People began to rise from their seats. It was about to become hostile, when the judge beat his gavel furiously against the desk. “ORDER! ORDER! If you don’t quiet down, I’ll have this courtroom cleared. Marshal, do your job!”

Matt jumped to his feet and yelled at the crowd to settle down. The tension refused to leave, but the court was finally subdued into silence. The marshal turned back to Rambeau, flashing him a confident, albeit arrogant, look. It was the look of a man that was able to control a crowd without beating a little wooden hammer on a table.

Rambeau, once again was silent, as he contemplated Dodge’s citizens. He didn’t have cause to withhold bail and they obviously wanted her free. This was not the time to flaunt his power. Even so, he could make it expensive. “Bail will be set at a thousand dollars....cash!”

Madson’s eyes snapped up at the judge, stunned. A thousand dollars was a ridiculous amount. Exorbitant, to say the least, but within Rambeau’s rights to rule. Madson was so angry; he determined he would pay the bail himself if he had to. It took everything he had to thank the supercilious man, without choking on the words. 

Rambeau was dealing with his own anger, as he pounded the gavel once again. “Trial will be in one week.”

Dillard was as stunned as his rival by the amount of bail; but this decision to start in one week was cutting corners a bit close on the legal side. 

“One week!” The words burst free before Madson could contain them. “Judge, we need time to prepare-”

With a final slam of the gavel, Rambeau confirmed his ruling, disregarding any objections. Considering the almost hostile atmosphere of the room, the judge decided to leave quickly. Once outside, he glanced around the town and quickly decided it might be best if he went back inside the Dodge House for a nap. 

Calleigh walked out of the Dodge House, surrounded by a group of angry people. Her attorney was probably at the top of that list. She suggested dinner across the street, in hopes of calming everyone down, but today was not going to be a day for calm. 

Newly had stopped to speak to Moss Grimmick and Calleigh was just about to step into the street, when a wagon appeared out of nowhere. Taggert Beamer, was an old buffalo skinner that had a tendency to stay out on the prairie too long--and then come into town too fast, trying to get to that much needed beer. This was one of those times. He was driving that rickety old wagon faster than it was meant to go, even when it was new, some twenty years ago. The only thing that saved Calleigh, was the rattling and quaking of the bolts and rotted wood, that warned her in advance that something was coming. 

Matt pulled Calleigh back and motioned for Taggert to stop. “What the hell are you doing? You could have killed my daughter!”

The grizzly old buffalo hunter mumbled and grumbled, as he stared at Calleigh with what passed as an apology. “I was...going after a beer.”

“Let me tell you something. Next time I see you driving this wagon down Front Street like that, so help me, Taggert, I’ll burn it--hides and all! Now get out of here and go get that beer.”

 

prairieroseprairieroseprairierose

 

After Rambeau and Taggert Beamer, they all needed the calm surroundings of the Prairie Rose. They were led to the banquet room and Tia rushed around the table assisting everyone. She knew how to do her job well, how to be virtually invisible; yet always right at hand with more coffee, extra rolls, or whatever was needed. She knew her objective was to serve, not interrupt or distract.

“A week doesn’t give you much time to catch the killer.” Madson directed his comment to both Matt and Newly. “This is your area. Do you have any leads at all? This friend of yours, Fetter…?”

“Festus,” Newly corrected. “He’s still not back from Stillwater. That’s a long trip and to be honest, I don’t know if he can do the job he went for and be back here in two weeks, let alone one.”

“I’m afraid he’ll have to be. I can’t see Rambeau giving us a delay.” Barlow paused, as Tia slipped a plate in front of him. “I want to question the women who were at the Long Branch that night. It might be easier just to do it there. Kitty can you have them all available?”

“Of course. Would four o’clock be all right?”

Before he could accept, he heard his wife very subtly clearing her throat. “Uh, I have a prior engagement at four. Could we make it about fivethirty?”

Kitty smiled, as she remembered that Betsy and Barlow were supposed to have an early supper with Bethany and their future son-in-law. 

Barlow turned to his young client. “Well young lady, looks like you are going to get to go home at last.” His irritation with the judge was obvious. “In all my years of practice, I’ve never seen bail set that high without more evidence than they have against you. It’s just...” He took a deep breath to release his anger. “I’m sorry. But I must say, you have handled it well.”

“It is what it is.” Calleigh patted his arm and offered a sympathetic smile. She felt bad for Barlow, as he was caught up in a revenge match that he had no part in creating. 

Barlow stared at Calleigh, once again impressed with the way she maintained a positive attitude, no matter what. “Well, now that you’re a free woman, what do you plan on doing first?”

Calleigh stood up and Newly stepped up behind his wife, sliding his arms around her waist. She leaned back into him, obviously a familiar position on both their parts. “First, I’m going to stop by Jonas’ to buy some jellybeans, ‘cause I know a little redheaded terror that will kill me if I show up empty-handed.” She bid goodbye to everyone and left.

 

Chapter 9  
Homecoming

Doc was on the front porch, with two little ones sitting in the swing with him. The boy leaned against his side, while the girl sat on his lap, both listening to him read. The book, normally one of their favorites, barely held their attention today.

“Poppy,” Cooper interrupted and with a wistful gaze looked up at the old man, “Is that judge man going to let Calleigh come home today?” 

Doc pulled his glasses off and scowled at the boy. He wasn’t upset with him, but concerned about his question. “Calleigh has been visiting a patient.”

“Momma says it’s not nice to lie.” He didn’t understand why Poppy’s face started to turn red, but he suspected it had something to do with the lie. “Tommy Rachel told me that Calleigh was in daddy’s jail. He said she did a bad thing. He said” 

Cooper stopped. His eyes grew wide, as he stared at the two riders coming up the road. Before he had a chance to say anything, another little voice began to scream.

Hadley struggled to get down from Poppy’s lap, as she cried for the rider, “Sissy! Sissy! Down, Poppy! Let me go!”

“Just hold on…” He tried to hang on to the squirming little moppet, to give Calleigh time to at least climb down from Belle. While he was holding one child, the other slipped past him and went running down the steps. Doc lost his grip on the girl, but tried to stay close as she ran toward the steps. “Just wait...don’t...Hadley...you’re going to fall!” He sighed with relief once the toddler was safely on the ground. 

Calleigh dropped to the dirt and welcomed the onslaught of two pair of hugging arms and a dozen sloppy kisses. Each tried to out-talk the other; each wanting her to know that they missed her more than the other; and both wanting to hear that she had missed them as well.

Hadley’s arms were wrapped so tight around Sissy’s neck, she could barely breathe. Calleigh motioned to Newly for the sack of candy. “Look, baby girl, I brought you some jellybeans.” 

Hadley looked at the bag, but in a surprise move, buried her face back into Calleigh's shoulder. “No, I want Sissy.” None of them could believe that she wasn’t going to give up her hold on Calleigh for the candy. The big sister looked up at her husband, her heart bursting with love for this child.

“Now you know what it feels like to be chosen over a piece of pie,” Newly laughed, as he helped his wife off the ground, with Hadley still clinging like a thirty pound tumor to Calleigh’s side; and Cooper, with his arms firmly locked around her waist. Newly would have offered to take one of the little ones off her hands, but he figured that would have started a whole lot of crying and screaming. He did help steady her, as she climbed the steps and made her way to the swing. 

Calleigh settled in with a sigh and looked to Newly and Doc. “Good to be home,” she laughed and hugged the kids tighter. “Okay, guys, what’s been going on?” 

“I missed you, Sissy.” Hadley held tight, but did pull away enough to plant another sloppy kiss on her sister’s cheek. 

“And I missed you too. Have you been a good girl for Poppy?”

“Uh-huh, I been good, huh Poppy?” The old man couldn’t help but laugh, but he readily agreed. 

Calleigh pried one of the little arms loose and brushed the wild curls from Hadley’s face. She motioned to Newly for the candy. “How about you snuggle right here on my lap and you can have me and the candy? Hmm?”

Hadley’s expression was as serious as a two and a half year old could muster. She studied the candy and her sister and decided that would be a pretty good deal. Her face broke out into a giant grin as she settled into Calleigh's arms, with the jellybeans in tow. 

Cooper had waited patiently for Calleigh to pacify their little sister. He knew that until Hadley was happy, there would be no talking. Now it was his turn and he turned in the swing to talk to her face to face. The inquisition began. “Tommy Rachel told me you were in jail.”

“Tommy Rachel again,” Calleigh mumbled under her breath. “And what did you do?”

Cooper bowed his head, maybe he didn’t want to talk face-to-face after all. “I hit him.”

She lifted his chin with the tip of her finger. “Is that where this came from?” She lightly brushed his cheek, with the pad of her thumb on the shiner circling around one bright, blue eye. “What did momma say about you fighting?”

Suddenly, his little body grew erect, his eyes sparked with excitement, “I gave him a black eye too AND a bloody nose; and she said he deserved it. She said she didn’t like me to fight, but she was proud of me for standing up for you.”

Newly was trying not to take any time or attention away from Calleigh, but he had to congratulate the boy. “Isn’t Tommy Rachel twice your size? Cooper that’s fantastic!” He caught the evil eye from Calleigh, “I mean, your momma’s right, fighting is not the answer…” Newly leaned over and whispered man-to-man, “…but if you have to fight, it’s always better to win.”

Cooper giggled, as Newly ran his hand roughly through the brown curls. He looked at his little sister, content in Calleigh's arms with her cache of jellybeans. She pulled a handful out of the sack and offered them to Cooper. 

“No thanks, you eat them.” He turned his attention back to Calleigh, “Tommy said you did something really bad and that’s why daddy put you in jail. Is that true?”

Calleigh tucked Hadley farther back in the crook of her arm and reached out to stroke Cooper’s cheek. “Coop, do you remember when Kyte Furlin told Reverend Braden that you were the one who took the money from the Sunday School collection box?” 

Tiny wrinkles formed on his forehead, as the memory rushed back, “I was mad at him at first but, he only took it ‘cause he was hungry. They don’t have lots of stuff like we do.”

“I’m glad you didn’t stay mad at Kyte. The difference is, I don’t know who did this thing, but they made it look like it was me. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, kinda; but Kyte told the truth when I got in so much trouble. Will this person tell the truth for you?”

“I don’t know, I hope so, but in the mean time, there will be a trial and Barlow will try to make sure that I don’t get blamed for this.”

“Mr. Madson is a nice man. He’s Bethany’s daddy.” At first, he seemed to accept what Calleigh had explained to him, but then his face became somber and he pulled himself up on his knees. “What if Mr. Madson can’t make them believe that you didn’t do it? Tommy said you would go to jail forever.” Cooper’s upper lip began to quiver and he threw his arms around Calleigh again. His crying seemed contagious and Hadley started to cry again too.

Calleigh looked to Newly for help. “Hey big guy,” Newly took a chance and pulled the boy up into his arms. 

Cooper loved Newly like a big brother and gratefully accepted his effort to console him. “Don’t cry; we’re not going to let that happen, son.”

Cooper struggled to get his words out amidst the tears and hiccups, “Do...you pro...mise..Newly?” 

Newly looked down at Calleigh, watching her trying to console the youngest sibling. She lifted her gaze and their eyes met, each drawing support from the other. “I promise.” He said the words aloud for Cooper, but the promise in his eyes was for Calleigh.

 

thadbethanythadbethanythadbethany

 

Thad arrived at the restaurant, with a box in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. He paced back and forth in front of the entrance, talking to himself. He had been practicing this speech all day and he wanted it to be perfect. 

The glass front door with the fancy etching opened and Tia’s head popped out. “Hey, are you coming in—or what? Bethany and her folks have been watching you pace for almost half an hour.”

Thad could see the clock on the wall of the dining room. “Oh my gosh, I didn’t realize I had been out here that long. They’re going to think I’m a half wit!”

Tia giggled and took hold of his arm. “They will think that you are a great young man, with a terrific future, who loves their daughter.” She pulled him inside the restaurant and pushed him toward the Madson’s table. “And handsome too.” She whispered, loud enough to make him blush. 

Bethany slid out of her seat to greet the young deputy. “What were you doing out there?” she whispered, as she hugged him. 

The smile that hung on his face looked as nervous as his gaze. “Practicing,” he mumbled as he walked toward the table. “Mrs. Madson,” he thrust the flowers toward her with more force than he intended. 

Betsy tried to hide her smile behind the bouquet. She looked at Barlow, remembering another scared young man, some twenty-six years ago. “They’re beautiful, Thad. And so thoughtful of you.” Before she had a chance to worry about where to put them, Tia arrived at the table offering to take care of them for her. She winked at Thad as she walked away. 

Barlow couldn’t help but see the way his daughter’s eyes shone with pride, as she looked at her young lawman. 

The lawyer turned his gaze to Thad. It broke his heart to know that he was no longer the only man in his daughter’s life; but at the same time, it gave him great comfort to know she was in good hands. 

Thad settled back in his seat. He looked at the faces around the table and decided it was time to speak his piece. 

He took the small box from his pocket and reached over, taking Bethany’s hand. “Mr. Madson, Mrs. Madson, I would like to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.” 

Barlow let his eyes once again fall upon his daughter. He could see the tension between the two lovers, waiting for an answer. “I’m sure Betsy will agree with me when I say, we would be proud to have you as a son-in-law.”

Thad bounced to his feet, his grin almost too big for his face. He grabbed Barlow’s hand and began to pump it as though he were priming it for water. “Thank you, sir. I’ll take good care of her, I promise.”

“Thad. Thad.” Bethany tugged on his sleeve in an attempt to get his attention, “Thad!” He didn’t release Barlow’s hand, but he did redirect his gaze. “Is that box for me?” Bethany’s doe-like brown eyes waited pensively for him to open it.

“Oh!” He let go of Barlow’s hand and turned to his future bride. His hands were steady now, as he opened the box and pulled out the small, but respectable diamond. She held out her hand, letting him slide the ring onto her finger. Now they both wore grins two sizes too big. Bethany’s first kiss went to Thad. Then she was out of her seat, hugging her mom, then her dad. Her last stop was Tia. They giggled and hugged, as she stretched out her hand to showcase the symbol of her future. 

Thad felt like the weight of the world had been taken from his shoulders. Once the tension was gone, he was actually able to enjoy the evening. Most of the conversation during dinner was between Bethany and her mom and revolved around the upcoming wedding. Thad and Barlow exchanged glances of boredom several times, but were smart enough to keep it to themselves. 

Finally, Thad had the courage to broach a different subject. “It looks like that judge really has it out for Calleigh.”

“Well, actually, it’s Matt that he has a grudge against; but it looks like Calleigh is going to have to pay for it. I don’t know about you, but we’re praying for a miracle.”

 

Chapter 10  
Celebration

Matt and Kitty were waiting in the study when the Madsons arrived home. Matt heard them and went out to help put the horses and buggy away for the night. Betsy joined Kitty. 

“Would you like some brandy, or would you rather I put on some coffee?”

Betsy wore a smile of satisfaction and pride, both wanting dominance of her pretty face. “It’s too late for coffee, but I will gladly take you up on that glass of brandy.”

Kitty walked over to the bar and pulled out a bottle of her favorite Napoleon Brandy. “I have a feeling we’re toasting a special occasion.” She reached for a pair of snifters and poured the rich, caramel-colored liquid into the bottom of the glasses. “This will give the brandy time to breathe until Matt and Barlow get in here.” 

Betsy saw the label and with an arched brow, gave her subtle approval. “I’m impressed. Thank you.” She took the snifter and paused to enjoy the aged, sweet aroma. “Thank you for bringing Bethany to Dodge too.”

“What are you thanking her for?” Barlow entered the room, with Matt behind him, but stopped at his wife’s side. 

Kitty stepped away from the bar. “We were waiting for you two so that we could make a toast, I’m guessing to an engagement?” The Madsons’ pleased reaction was enough to confirm the news.

“Well, you can have some of that sissy brandy…or a whiskey. Which will it be?” Barlow vetoed the brandy and opted for the whiskey. Matt walked over to the liquor cabinet, suddenly remembering, and wishing he hadn’t drunk all the Tennessee Walking Whiskey the other night. When he pulled open the doors, the first thing that caught his eye, was a red and white label attached to a brand new bottle of Tennessee Walking Whiskey. 

Blue eyes—the color of a summer sky, searched out blue eyes—the color of sapphires. For a moment, there was only his wife; even after all these years, she never ceased to amaze him. Kitty could read his thoughts as easily as if they were written across a page, and she responded with a smile. That smile. 

“Tennessee Walking and Napoleon? Are you two trying to impress us?” 

“Nope; just wanted to serve the best, to the best.” Matt handed Barlow a glass “Now, what about this toast?”

“We are about to become Dodge City citizens-by-marriage. Thad proposed.” The women naturally had to hug and Matt gave his friend a hearty pat on the back. “He was so nervous. We all watched him pace, back and forth in front of the restaurant for half an hour, trying to work up his courage.”

“He is a great young man,” Matt spoke with the same affection he would use with his own son. “I know Bethany is a fantastic girl. Here’s to a wonderful young couple and a great future.” Glasses were raised and they all drank to honor the toast.

Betsy took a seat and motioned for Barlow to join her. He slipped his arm around her as he sat down. “She really is happy here. In the beginning, I was kind of hoping she would get Dodge out of her system and come home.” He glanced at his wife, “I don’t think Betsy ever thought that she would.”

His wife studied the swirling, caramel liquid. “She’s a lot like your daughter when it comes to dedication. I knew when she took this job that it would become her mission. And it has. I’m just happy that she will have someone to look out for her.” Betsy’s huge brown eyes darted up toward the Dillons, “Not that you two haven’t watched-”

“It’s ok, Betsy, we know what you mean.” Kitty sat down on the arm of Matt’s chair. “I know that Calleigh is in good hands too.” Now her eyes rested on Barlow. 

“I sure hope so, Kitty. I’m trying the best I can…”

 

LadyKLadyKLadyKLadyKLadyK

 

Kitty stepped out of the water closet and closed the door behind her. She was surprised to see the bed was empty and equally surprised that Matt had turned down the covers. She found him in one of her favorite spots—out on the balcony. She was surprised, still again, to see that he was wearing the robe she had bought him for his birthday. Before she could join him, he had turned and was coming back into the room. So Kitty turned to climb into bed but stopped when she felt his hand on her shoulder. Before she could respond, or ask any questions, he used just enough force to turn her around. “Do you think you need this tonight?” He held her captive with his eyes, as he pinched the soft lace and silk between his fingers. 

When he stared at her like this, she felt like he was looking into her very soul. She stood still as he released the buttons, one by one until the silky material slid from her shoulders and seemed to glide toward the floor. He cupped her face in his hands and then scooped the long, loose curls behind her back. “My God, you are beautiful.” He pulled her naked body up into his arms, as his lips succumbed to her sweet, hungry kisses.

He backed her up carefully and dropped his robe, his naked body pressing against hers. Gently, he pushed her onto the bed, their bodies naturally twining together, as his leg slipped between hers. Slowly, he rediscovered her body with his lips, tasting her first, then trailing slowly down the slender curve of her neck. His fingers spread across the full, firm breasts, massaging them, while the pad of his thumb teased her nipples until they became hard, erect and she moaned in obvious pleasure. Her slender fingers slid against his scalp, then gripped his thick curls. He continued to move down, lips following hands, scattering kisses between her heaving breasts, trailing again along her stomach. His giant hands rested at the apex of her thighs, allowing him to use his thumbs to part the fiery curls, revealing the pearl that had already started to swell from anticipation. 

He kissed the tiny bud, and she arched up, offering herself to him, wanting him to take more, to take it all. She grabbed handfuls of the cotton sheet, wadding it in her hand like a lifeline to reality. Matt was the only man that could bring her to that ultimate height with the stroke of his tongue and touch of his fingers; and he was taking her there now. Kitty was reduced to a whimpering cry that begged him to possess her fully, to join his body with hers. When he knew he could hold off no longer, he slid into her warm, wet center. He felt her tighten around him, as he began to move. Slow. Steady. It wasn’t going to be long, their bodies in unison, each knowing what the other needed. It began easy, but quickly burst into a rhythm that propelled them to a cataclysmic euphoria. Suspended in, mutual joy, they began to slowly, gently tumble back to reality. 

Matt was still breathless and unable to speak, but he swore his Kitten was purring as she snuggled up in his arms.

“That was beautiful.” She was finally able to whisper and sealed her words with a kiss. 

Matt, let go a long breath, as his heartbeat returned to normal. “You...are beautiful; but that was…fantastic.” He squeezed her tight and kissed the damp curls along her temple. “You replaced the Tennessee Walking.”

“We have company. I knew you would want to offer it to Barlow.” She always made it sound as though she had done nothing special. 

“Kitten, you really are magnificent.” His fingers raked gently up and down her back “I’m still so ashamed about the other night. I wouldn’t want to scare you, ever-”

Kitty pulled back enough to look into his face and put her fingers to his lips to stop his words. “Don’t. We’ve come too far and know each other too well.” When she removed her hand, there was a cryptic smile lurking there. “That’s a wicked smile if ever I’ve seen one. What’s behind it?”

He wrapped his arms tighter, pulling her closer, “I was just thinking about what you said the other night.” She looked up at him again with a slight frown, her eyes questioning. “You were right; it is more fun when I wait for you.”

 

Chapter 11  
Humble Pie

He sat quietly, inconspicuous, in the back of the room. The tall slender man was secure in himself, not in a boastful way, but in a way that comes from a quiet confidence Despite his self-assurance, it appeared as though he were hiding his face behind a wild and woolly mass of hair that splashed down his chin and onto his chest like a brown waterfall. Piercing green eyes moved slowly, deliberately, taking in every move. He could see the mounting frustration on the Boston-born defense attorney. 

“Your Honor. I haven’t even finished cross examining this witness.”

Judge Rambeau cast a haughty gaze, clearly signifying he was the victor once again. “I have ruled, Miss Clanton’s testimony has no real relevance to the case.”

“Judge, it was Charlie Poe's attack on Miss Clanton that provoked my client to interfere on her behalf. That is the only connection Mrs. O’Brian-”

“I SAID, the witness can step down! She did not see the murder, nor can she testify to your client’s whereabouts at the time of the shooting.” Rambeau motioned for Deidra Clanton to leave. 

Barlow Madson stomped back to the table, ashamed to face his client. Never, in all of his years of practice, had he been so helpless in a courtroom. He whirled around again, unable to hide the anger in his voice, “Your Honor. I’d like to call for a recess.”

Rambeau looked at the clock above the check-in counter. 11:30. “Well, it is a little early, but why don’t we break for lunch. Take an extra half hour to...pull yourself together Mr. Barlow.” With that, he slammed the gavel and rose from his seat to slip up to his room for a much-needed drink. 

Bits of conversation, words of anger and just complaints in general, buzzed through the crowd as it poured out onto Front Street. Within a few minutes, the room was bathed in silence. Left behind was a very exasperated attorney, his young client and her family. 

Calleigh reached over and laid a consoling hand on Barlow’s arm. Her face was one of trepidation, her tone apprehensive. “Barlow, I have to ask...”She paused, her blue eyes troubled, “did Bethany say what kind of pie was on the menu today?” Barlow stared at the redhead, his rage vanquished in the blink of an eye, under Calleigh’s careful execution of her own unique brand of humor. Her encouraging grin materialized slowly. 

Days of tension seemed to melt from his face, as he leaned over hugging his client. “Thank you.” There was even a hint of laughter in his voice, “I’m supposed to be reassuring you.”

“And you do.” Her winning smile was back as usual, “You’re a good lawyer; he’s a rotten judge.” She shrugged “Sometimes life just doesn’t play fair.”

“He has shut me down, for three days in a row.”

Matt walked around the chair to stand beside his daughter. “Can you lodge a complaint against him?”

Barlow turned in his seat, facing Calleigh’s husband and parents. “He stays just within the law; his rulings are questionable, but not corrupt. And I think he wants me to file a complaint. Then, more than likely, what would happen is that the court would file a change of venue for a whole new judge and town. Probably Hays.”

“Wouldn’t that be better than this?” Kitty’s fear was evident. She didn’t share the same confidence as her daughter. Her doubts weren’t with Barlow, but with Judge Rambeau. 

Newly stood up, taking his stand beside Matt and behind his wife. “With all the circumstantial evidence, she wouldn’t stand a very good chance in a town where no one knows her.”

Kitty cast a doubtful look at Matt and then shared it with Barlow. “It doesn’t look like being in her home town is helping her much so far. Those twelve men don’t really know her, Newly. They know she’s your wife and Matt’s daughter, but they don’t know her.”

“As soon as I can get some of these witnesses up there, they will know her.” Barlow gazed at his client with a little better outlook, “I promise you, they will know Calleigh O’Brian.” 

Calleigh stood up and looked at the forlorn faces surrounding her. “Well, I know this is all important talk, but I’m hungry and we’ve only got an hour left. You guys go ahead and figure out a way to save my scrawny neck. I’m going on over the Prairie Rose.” She grabbed Newly’s arm and led him out of the Dodge House. 

 

DodgeDodgeDodgeDodgeDodge

 

Matt said that he had some business to take care of and had excused himself early from the dinner break. With a quick kiss to both of his girls, he asked Newly to see Kitty back to the Dodge House, then left. As he glanced across the street, he saw Rambeau heading back from dinner. He adjusted his hat, set his jaw and stomped across the street. Rambeau had barely stepped inside the room, when Matt closed in behind him.

“Rambeau. Let me tell you something. I’ve had about all the crap off you I’m going to take. You’re messing with my daughter’s life here!”

The aged, white haired man didn’t even attempt to hide the smirk twitching at his lips. “Why Marshal Dillon, I’m just taking your advice. What was it you said—I hadn’t learned how to handle power?” He hooked his thumbs in his vest pockets, allowing his protruding belly to take center stage. What was supposed to be a laugh, sounded more like the cackle of a wounded bird. His laughter stopped, when he saw Matt move as though he were going to hit him. ”Touch me and I’ll make sure you not only lose that badge, but spend the next twelve months in prison!” Feeling brave behind his twisted interpretation of the law, he took a challenging step, into Matt’s face. His voice became dark, matching his threat. “You thought you could make a fool out of me! I’ve been waiting ten years to show you, you can’t mess with Collin S. Rambeau!”

With an arrogant huff, he turned to walk away, as Matt, completely at his limit and not caring about the consequences, reached out for Rambeau. Only seconds before he had a handful of the hateful man in his grasp, an unseen intruder grabbed Matt by the arm. 

“No need for that.” The words were soft-spoken, but with an air of authority.

Rambeau swung around at the mysterious man’s words. The judge could tell by the look on Matt’s face that the stranger had probably just saved him from a beating. He started to thank the bearded man, but something stopped him. Now, he remembered seeing this man, sitting in the back of the courtroom. There was something familiar about him. 

As Rambeau stared at the long, wild, beard, he suddenly remembered the face. His eyes grew wide, revealing fear from the abrupt recollection. He swallowed hard and began to grovel. “Attorney General Bradford.” Rambeau began to pump the man’s hand, as he proclaimed what an honor it was to have Bradford in his courtroom.

Bradford stood quiet while the Judge fumbled and rambled—until finally he fell silent. “Judge Rambeau, I received a disturbing telegram from a very dear, old family friend. Now, this friend was extremely upset about the way you have been running this trial. So upset, that I felt the need to come and investigate these allegations for myself.” Bradford stepped closer, noticing the sudden pallor on the judge’s face. 

He turned to the huge man who had been ready to lose a deeply cherished, well-earned badge for the sake of his child. Holding out his hand, he introduced himself, “Marshal Dillon, I am Simeon Bradford.”

Matt stared at the man; he felt as speechless as Rambeau, although not for the same reason. “Matt Dillon.” He replied.

Bradford smiled, then turned, when he heard others approaching. He was glad to see it was the defense attorney, Madson and the young defendant. Again, he introduced himself, his tone still calm and reassuring.

“I did a little checking before coming here and discovered the uh, let’s say, grudge that you have against the Marshal here.” Now his tone did change, as he stepped directly in front of the judge. “Rambeau, you have skirted the law in this case and put that young woman’s life in jeopardy. I will not have that in one of my courts. I don’t know if this lady is guilty, or innocent, but I do know that she will get a fair trial and the best representation available.” He eased back just a hair and let his tone relax. “Rumor has it, you want to retire next year. I would hate to see those plans thwarted.”

Collin Rambeau was speechless. His arrogance had been consumed by fear and he knew his reign of terror was over. Taking in Bradford’s not quite subtle hint about his retirement, spurred him on to a somewhat lame apology. “Marshal, I…uh, hope we can start over here. I’m sorry for any misunderstanding between us. Mr. Madson, you can bring those witnesses back today.” Figuring his best option at that point was just to walk away, he hurried back to his place at the front table. 

“I don’t mean to look a gift horse in the mouth,” Matt was about to ask what they all wanted to know. “Exactly who is it that contacted you?”

“Oh, well it was...” Bradford stopped when he heard a familiar voice. “It was her.” 

They all turned to see Edsel Pry walking toward them. Together, they seemed to have been robbed of the ability to speak, but with all those wide eyes, they certainly could see. There was one exception. Calleigh, wearing her irrepressible grin, stretched out her arms to embrace the frail, little woman. 

“Miss Pry, I should have known I could count on you! You are a Godsend.” She hugged the woman again. They turned together, only to find themselves confronted with three of the most shocked faces ever to grace the city of Dodge. 

It was never confirmed which was the greater surprise: The Attorney General coming to help; the fact that Edsel Pry had requested his presence; or that she and Calleigh were such good friends.

The tiny, shriveled lady took an impatient breath while giving Matt a sidelong glance, “I don’t know what all the fuss is about. Marshal. I have told you often enough, that the Attorney General is an old family friend. I was most certainly not going to sit idly by and see this gifted young lady go to jail for something she didn’t do!”

“Exactly how do you know she’s not guilty, Edsel?” Even Bradford was curious.

She looked at the young redhead still at her side and in her usual impatient tone explained, “This young lady checks on me regularly. She claims, with great authority, that I make the absolute best pies in the entire state of Kansas. Even better than those sold at a certain little restaurant, in Alton, Missouri.”

Matt smiled at that; recalling how a young Calleigh had told him of those superior pies years ago, when first he’d met her. Edsel continued, “She is the person responsible for my pies being on the menu at the Prairie Rose. Calleigh takes the time to sit and talk to an old lady, not to mention that she is my personal physician. A girl like that does not shoot someone—most certainly not in the back!”

Matt hesitantly took a step forward. He played with the brim of his hat, nervously turning it around and around in his fingers. He intended for it to be a smile, but it was bushwhacked along the way and replaced by a grimace. “Uh, I...we...didn’t know...you were…friends with…my daughter.”

Calleigh hugged the lady closer and grinned shamelessly, as she looked at her surreptitious friend, “Miss Pry doesn’t want anyone to know that she has a soft side.” The small lady in black made a move as if to pull away from the girl, but Calleigh was not going to allow any such thing. 

“Pshaw! You are the brassiest girl!” The words were typical Edsel Pry, but the blush in her cheeks proved her to be the woman Calleigh described. “I am not soft!”

Bradford walked over to his family friend and took Calleigh’s place, linking his arm in Edsel’s. “I don’t know if I would say soft but she is most certainly loyal to a fault. How about if I take you over to this Prairie Rose and we try a piece of your pie?” As they turned to leave, he nodded to Barlow. “I will be keeping tabs, to make sure he keeps his word. Mrs. O’Brian, I wish you the best of luck.”

Everyone watched the large man and petite woman leave, still in stunned silence. Calleigh was still watching Bradford and Miss Pry, not realizing that her family had surrounded her. She whirled around, feeling much better about the trial. 

Her smile shifted to a more puzzled expression, much like the ones she confronted. “What?” Since no one else seemed to know where to begin, she didn’t waste any time expressing her thoughts, “I told you I had a great bedside manner.” She left them—all still stunned—and walked back to the defense table.

 

Chapter 12  
Testify

A different wind blew in the courtroom when Rambeau called it back into session. The only tension now, came from the judge. He was careful to listen, before rushing to make a ruling. 

Deidra was allowed back on the stand, which gave Barlow a chance to show the jury what a hot-head Poe really was. “Can you tell us what led up to the confrontation between my client and Charlie Poe?”

“I was at the bar to get two beers and Charlie started to harass me.”

“Harass you?”

She nodded demurely and flashed her sweetest, most innocent smile at the jury. “He started to grab me. I tried to get away, but he grabbed me with both hands and started to kiss me.” Again, she flashed a shy smile to the twelve men. “I was really scared, because he was so strong.”

Years of experience had taught Barlow to hide his emotions during a trial, but this girl was magnificent. She had appeared in court today in a simple, flowered cotton dress and matching sunbonnet, looking the very essence of innocence. Deidra Fennell had the jury eating out of the palm of her hand and hating Charlie Poe. Neither his tone, nor his expression, revealed the giddiness in his heart. “What happened next, Miss Fennell?”

“Well, as I said, Charlie—Mr. Poe—had grabbed me and was…” She paused and developed a sudden quivering in her speech, “he was…forcing himself on me and…kissing me. The more I tried to get away, the more he grabbed at me.” She dabbed at her eyes with a crisp cotton hankie, “I seen Calleigh, I mean Dr. O’Brian, with a mug in her hand and she pulled back and hit him in the head.” 

Her tone suddenly changed from teary-eyed, to wide-eyed excitement. “Well, all of a sudden, he let go of me and grabbed his head with both hands. She…” Deidra nodded toward the defendant, “pulled me away from him and stepped between us. He was so mad! I thought he was going to shoot her, but she pulled that gun out of his holster and turned it on him. He was screaming something fierce, but Dr. O’Brian stayed just as calm as you please. Then Miss Kitty told him to leave, but he threatened both of them. Then the Marshal came; and of course nobody goes against him, so…Charlie left.” She took a deep breath and then in one last performance, dabbed at counterfeit tears and turned again to the jury, “She saved my life.” 

“Thank you, Miss Fennell, I have no more questions.” Barlow took his seat, wondering how his opponent would handle this witness. She had told the truth; other eyewitness accounts verified that. The only thing he could do would be to attack her character as a dance hall girl. He looked at the jury again, still mesmerized by the dark-haired beauty. They loved her; and smearing her reputation would only make them dislike the prosecution. 

“Mr. Dillard, do you have any questions for this witness?”

Joel Dillard looked at the defendant, then the jury and finally Barlow Madson. He knew exactly what his opponent was thinking, “No, Your Honor, I have no questions.” He offered Barlow the slightest nod, conceding defeat with a gracious half smile. 

Amazingly enough, Barlow’s other two witnesses from the Long Branch, appeared in summer dresses similar to Miss Fennell’s. It was beginning to look more like a church social, than a courtroom. He called Vanetta first.

“Miss Raybert, what can you tell us about the altercation at the Long Branch?”

“Charlie Poe had been bothering all of us,” she glanced at the jury, “All of us girls, I mean.” 

“Objection!” Joel was now on his feet, “I have to object to ‘all of us girls-” He was about to add to his objection: ‘Is this witness testifying for all the girls?’ but he didn’t get a chance, as Vanetta was quick to clarify.

“Well, I never knew Charlie to go after a guy, but I guess he might; he was pretty horny most of the time.”

The courtroom erupted into so much laughter, even Rambeau’s gavel couldn’t quiet it down. Where the jury loved Deidra for her soft, feminine wiles, they adored Vanetta for her innocence. Again, the two attorneys exchanged looks. Joel, once again, silently admitted defeat; but this time it was harder to conceal smiles on either side. 

Rambeau finally got the court under control and nodded to Barlow to continue. 

“Could you tell us, was Dr .O’Brian angry after her confrontation with Mr. Poe?” 

“No, everybody was in a really good mood. Miss Kitty bought a round of drinks for the house and everyone was real happy. Both of them, Miss Kitty and Calleigh, are real protective of us girls. Nobody is going to hurt us while they’re around. That’s how I know.”

“Know what, Miss Raybert?”

“Well, Calleigh won’t back down from anyone. No matter who, or how big. She would never shoot anyone in the back. That’s not her way.”

“Your Honor…” Once again, Joel was on his feet, but he wasn’t quick enough.

“Did you ever see her shoot? She used to be in a show, she was so good.”

”Your Honor!” This time, he even turned to Barlow, “Mr. Madson!”

“I seen her, she is really good.” 

Barlow walked up to his witness and gently laid a hand on her arm. “That’s fine, Miss Raybert, thank you.”

Rambeau did make a ruling, which was expected by both sides, “The jury will disregard the last utterances of this witness. Mr. Madson, call your next witness.”

Barlow called Sorrel. She was a cross between his previous two—not quite as sweet and not quite as innocent, but she had the jury captivated just the same. Her testimony was virtually the same as Vanetta; she said that Charlie was harassing her as well; and that Calleigh was not angry, once Charlie left the bar. 

His next witness was Nathan Burke. “Mr. Burke, I understand you are familiar with Dr. O’Brian’s expertise with a gun.”

“I sure am. I was on Front Street when she first came in to town, over ten years ago. She was just twelve years old. Little bitty thing, about…” He held his hand about three feet in the air, to illustrate his point. “…‘that’ tall. She had a pair of 45’s strapped on and-” He had to stop to take a breath, “…she was the fastest, most accurate thing I have ever seen! You had to see it, to believe it.”

“So, you don’t think she would have chosen that manner to shoot Mr. Poe?”

“Never. If she don’t like you, she’ll tell you to your face,” he winced from personal experience, “I know. She’s told me often enough.” Once again, the jury was lost in a fit of laughter and it took Rambeau several smacks of the gavel to restore order.

“Mr. Dillard, do you have any questions?”

Joel stood at his table and looked at a couple of notes he had taken, “Mr. Burke, you said she was so good, she didn’t have to shoot someone in the back?”

“Yes.”

“But, didn’t she make the statement once, that she wanted her pound of flesh, no matter what it took?”

The courtroom fell silent and a curious look bounced from Barlow, to Calleigh and back to Burke. 

“Mr. Burke...didn’t you brag to some of the fine citizens of Dodge, that you overheard Calleigh O’Brian, tell Dr. Adams, that she wanted her pound of flesh, no matter what it took?”

Nathan Burke squirmed like his butt was on fire. All eyes were on him and they were all angry. The night that Calleigh, Newly and Festus were leaving to track down the men that had shot Kitty, he had followed them up the stairs to Doc’s office and listened through the window. He had only bragged to a few people about what he had heard, but apparently it was one too many. “I...uh...she was very upset...I...mean...they robbed the bank and shot Miss Kitty and...”

Joel cut in, his voice now louder and void of any compassion for the witness, “Did she say... ‘She was going to get her pound of flesh and didn’t care what she had to do to get it’???”

“Yes.” Despite the fact that his answer was barely audible, it was enough to bring a mass gasp to the court, followed by a paralyzing silence.

“Thank you. No more questions.” This time, on his way back to his table, Joel did not look at his opponent. 

He had made his first strike and he‘d managed to draw blood, but he didn’t feel good about it.

Barlow, followed up with Wilber Jonas, who also testified to Calleigh’s expertise with a gun; but Burke had already defused that fact. He skipped onto character witnesses. Ma Smalley was the first called.

“What can you tell us about Calleigh O’Brian?”

“Like Mr. Burke and Mr. Jonas, I watched that little girl grow into a fine lady and a great doctor. She started going on rounds with Doc Adams when she was about fourteen. Calleigh has a natural caring for people and just like Doc, she takes care of them, whether they pay or not. She may have said what Burke heard, but she would never carry through on it. On that particular night, Calleigh was half-crazed. Kitty had been shot, almost died; almost lost her baby. Calleigh worships that woman. I wouldn’t be surprised at anything that girl would have said that night. But, saying and doing are two different things. She was raised under that badge that the Marshal wears and she would never disrespect it, because it would be the same as disrespecting her dad. I’m not saying she wouldn’t go to any lengths, but she would do it legally.”

Barlow had no more questions; nor did Joel. Ma stepped down and Edsel Pry took her place.

As she stepped forward, she paused and gave a scathing look to the judge, “You should be ashamed,” She whispered, before taking her seat in the witness chair.

“Miss Pry, I want to thank you for coming here today.” Barlow knew when to be respectful; after all, this was the lady that had saved his client’s butt. “You are here as a character witness for Calleigh O’Brian.”

“Dr. O’Brian has been a good friend to me. She is kind, caring, has a unique sense of humor and is exceedingly honest.” Edsel looked at the faces around the room, “Some say a little too honest sometimes, bordering on blunt. I, myself, have been accused of the same thing.” As much as she tried to conceal it, a twinge of a smile tugged at her lips. “I have to agree with Mrs. Smalley, Calleigh respects her father too much to go against that badge and what it stands for. I also know that if Mr. Burke had been minding his own business, he would never have heard the ramblings of a heartsick young girl. When Kitty Dillon was shot, Calleigh was out of her mind with worry. One thing I never understood, but always admired, was the bond between those two women. Mrs. Smalley was right about that too. But the fact is, she followed the law in finding those men.”

Once again, Barlow thanked her for coming. Joel had no questions; truth was, he was little intimidated by the tiny little woman in black. As he watched her march back to her seat, he thought to himself that all of these people had helped to establish Calleigh O’Brian as a good person. Yet, nothing they said, explained how her gun was found at the scene of the murder. Joel Dillard really didn’t need to put much effort into cross-examining Madson’s witnesses, as long as that derringer was in the picture. 

It was getting late into the afternoon and Rambeau decided to stop for the day. He dismissed the court and one-by-one, the room began to empty. Miss Pry stood by the seat she had occupied during the trial. She watched the young red head being hugged by the older one. Then she realized that Kitty Russell Dillon was looking at her. She quickly tried to gather her reticule and slip out the door, but she was not quick enough to escape the Marshal’s wife. Edsel felt the gentle hand as it wrapped around her arm.

“Miss Pry,” Kitty gave Edsel a slight tug, in hopes she would turn around. It worked. “I just wanted to thank you, for what you said about Calleigh.”

Edsel seemed to be scrutinizing the woman still holding her arm, “I never had a child,” she whispered, as though what she was about to say was meant for Kitty’s ears only “If I had had a girl, I would want her to be just like your daughter.” She glanced over at Calleigh and then back to Kitty, “And I would hope she loved me, as much as that girl loves you.” 

Kitty’s hand still rested on the lady’s arm. “I know that she does; and believe me, I don’t take that lightly.”

“I can see that.” Edsel pulled the string on her reticule around her wrist and squared her shoulders. “You may give me that hug now, that you are so eager to part with.”

Kitty’s expression was like a kaleidoscope—flipping from surprise, to laughter, to obedience—as she leaned down to gently hug the frail woman. “Thank you,” she whispered. Unbeknownst to Edsel Pry, everyone at the defense table stood watching the two strong women embrace. 

The mood in the room went from heartwarming, to violent, in a matter of minutes. As Miss Pry was leaving, Nathan Burke was coming out of the billiard room in back of the Dodge House. Before anyone realized what was happening, Newly had crossed the room and tapped Burke on the shoulder. When he turned around, he was met with a force that knocked him half way across the makeshift courtroom. 

His ears were ringing and his vision blurred, leaving him unable to identify his assailant. A hand roughly grabbed his collar and pulled him up from the floor. He pinched his eyes shut, waiting for the next blow. Before it could find its mark, a female voice was pleading his case. “Newly, it’s okay. He’s not worth it.” 

Burke blinked several times and finally brought his attacker into focus. Newly O’Brian was a pretty even-tempered young man, rarely upset; but right now, Burke saw murder in his eyes. His savior, as it turned out, was none other than the woman he had inadvertently harmed—Calleigh. He watched her take her husband’s cheek in her hand and turn his angered gaze toward herself. Her voice was soft and loving, “We both know, he doesn’t mean any harm. It’s just who he is. But, this isn‘t who you are.”

Newly pursed his lips and finally moved his gaze from his wife, back to Burke. Releasing a long breath, he opened his hand and let the nosey snoop fall to the floor. “Didn’t hear that coming, did ya Burke!”

Much to his surprise, it was Calleigh that reached down to give him a hand up. Nathan Burke stood, red faced, wiping the bit of blood from his lip. “I’m really sorry...I wanted to help you...” he finally stopped trying to explain and just settled with a bit of honesty. “I talk too much.”

Calleigh had never cared for Burke, but she felt a certain amount of sympathy for him at that moment. It would definitely take time for him to overcome this latest fiasco; and if his testimony helped to convict her—well he might want to consider moving to a new town. “I know. Maybe you should work on the Burke.”

“Yeah.” He dusted off his hat and turned to leave. He couldn’t avoid the faces at the defense table and considered himself lucky that they all weren’t taking turns at him. Aside from looks that could kill, no one bothered him as he left the room. 

Calleigh turned, wrapping her arms around her knight in shining armor. “Newly O’Brian, I love you.” She could care less that there were other people in the room, when she pulled him down joining his lips with hers. They parted before the kiss led to other things. Holding Newly’s hand in hers, she led him back to the defense table.

Betsy had sat in the courtroom today and was one of the angry faces that had confronted Burke on his way out. She stood now, beside Barlow, as he packed his papers into his briefcase. “We promised Bethany we would meet her for supper. We’ll be out to the ranch later if that‘s okay?”

“We’ll be waiting with a night cap.” 

“Thank you Matt, sounds good.” Barlow glanced back at his client, “We did fine today.”

“Burke hurt us, didn’t he?” Newly knew the answer, but still had to ask.

“He did some damage, but nothing we can’t overcome.” Barlow hoped he sounded more confident than he felt, because tomorrow, the State would begin to make their case. “You two go on home; relax and be back here tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.”

All three couples left the courtroom and went their separate ways. 

 

DodgeDodgeDodgeDodgeDodge

 

Barlow rose from the couch and walked over to the bottle of Tennessee Walking Whiskey, that Matt had left on the bar. He refilled his glass and turned to face his client’s parents. “Dillard is putting Straker...and Dr. Adams, on the stand tomorrow.”

Matt reached for Kitty’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “It’s going to break Doc’s heart, to testify against his little girl. He‘s spending tonight at her house, along with Cooper and Hadley.” 

Barlow took his place beside his wife, before responding to Matt’s comment. “Well, whatever Dillard pulls out of him, I’ll try and give Dr. Adams a chance to clarify his answers in cross.”

Betsy had a bittersweet smile as she spoke, “You know, Kitty, I was moved by the testimony of those two women today. You do have an extraordinary bond with that girl. I hope that my Bethany feels the same about me.”

Kitty was quick to eliminate the woman’s doubts. “Bethany talks about you all the time. ‘My mom says this; my mom says that.’ She is forever quoting you and bragging about you. Rest assured, she loves you very much. Probably more than you know. I know how hard it was for you to send her out here, so far from home; but she has done just a marvelous job. I don’t think you could drag her away from the Prairie Rose! It’s her brainchild.”

“Oh, I know. Her letters only have two subjects: Thad and the restaurant.”

“You know,” Matt got up to refill his glass and walked over to do the same for Barlow. “Dodge could always use a good attorney.” The only thing he got in response, was a sly half lidded glance from the other man. “Hmm,” he looked over at Betsy and winked, “We’ll see what you have to say when those grandkids start to come.” 

His comment did elicit a laugh, but not a denial. 

“Why is it you two don’t have any grandchildren yet? I’ve seen her with your little ones and she’s obviously crazy about them.” Betsy could tell, almost instantly, that she had stumbled into a painful subject. “Oh, I’m sorry-”

“No, no it’s just...um...” Kitty felt Matt’s hand tenderly rubbing across her back “I don’t know if Barlow told you about the shooting at the Long Branch?” 

Betsy looked at her husband, “He did tell me about her being shot.”

“Well, she was pretty badly injured and the possibility of her having children is minimal at best—but not impossible,” she added quickly, “We’re still praying.”

“She certainly is the most positive person I have ever met.” Barlow rose from the sofa, “There have been times when she has been the one to pull me out of the dumps. I hope to be strong for her tomorrow.” He gave his wife a hand up, “I think we’ll turn in now, so that I can be fresh for Joel Dillard tomorrow.”

 

Chapter 13  
The Prosecution

Every seat in the Dodge House was full, a half an hour before the trial was due to reconvene the next day. Most were well-wishers for Calleigh. Every morning, the defense table was loaded down with food. Lots of covered dishes, baked ham, fried chicken; but mostly...pies. There was hardly a citizen of Dodge City that wasn’t aware of Little Doc’s fondness for pie. Many times, she would gladly accept a fresh-baked pie as her payment for medical services rendered. 

Joel arrived in the courtroom, as always, feeling like the monster that came to town. This girl was really loved here; and being the one trying to convict her did not make him popular. Today was going to be the beginning of the worst to come. 

He really hadn’t worked too hard to cross-examine Madson’s witnesses. For the most part, they didn’t really affect the case. They were simply character witnesses. Well, he did score a few points with that Burke fella, but other than that, he wasn’t concerned. 

Joel knew that when his turn came, he only needed two witnesses. The first, was Tom Straker, who saw Dr. O’Brian at the scene. The second, was Galen Adams, who gave her the custom-made gun. He was concerned with Adams; he had feared the old physician might lie to cover up for his surrogate granddaughter. However, in a town this small it was hard to escape overhearing local gossip. Apparently, Adams would die for the girl; but he couldn’t perjure himself. The law was an integral part of this family. Dillon had spent his whole life defending and executing it and raising his family to respect it.

Joel felt a little sorry for the defendant; she seemed like a decent girl. He didn’t really understand how she was a doctor and a gunfighter. He knew Doc Holliday was a dentist and a gunfighter, but she didn’t look like a typical ‘slinger. Not your average murderer, that’s for sure; and the daughter of a U.S. Marshal to boot? This was a strange case all right. 

Rambeau watched the clock and at nine straight up, he pounded his gavel. Court was brought into session and Joel Dillard called his first witness. 

Tom Straker walked up to the witness chair. His wife had made him wear a tie and he felt like he was choking to death. He put his hand on the Bible, then took his seat, tugging at the muslin noose.

“Mr. Straker, would you tell us what you saw the night of the shooting.”

“Well, I heard more than I saw. I heard the sound of a woman’s high heeled shoes running down the alley where Charlie got shot.”

“Did you not say you saw the defendant?”

“The what?”

“The defendant,” Joel pointed to her table, “Calleigh O’Brian.”

“Oh, Little Doc,” Tom nodded his head, as though now he understood the question. “Yeah, well I seen her at the end of the alley. I never seen her with the body.”

“But you heard a woman’s footsteps and saw Dr. O’Brian?”

Tom scratched his head for a second, trying to match what he said with what Joel asked. “Uh, yeah. Those two things are right. But I didn’t see her with Charlie’s body.” 

“Did you see any other female in the vicinity, when you heard the woman’s footsteps?”

“In the what?”

For a moment, Joel was as confused as his witness. He mentally back tracked over his question. “Did you see any other female in the area?” 

“Oh; no. Just Little Doc.”

“You didn’t want to testify today, did you Mr. Straker?”

The skinny, middle-aged farmer sighed, his bony shoulders drooping lower. “I sure didn’t! My wife is on my butt something fierce. Made me sleep in the barn, she was so mad.” His honesty caused laughter to erupt among the jury and spectators. 

“Why is that?”

“Well, Little Doc there,” he pointed an equally bony finger at Calleigh, “she takes care of all my youngens and my wife; and we can’t afford to pay her, but she comes every time anyways.” He flashed a half-toothless smile at the young doctor. “I’m real sorry about this.”

Calleigh grinned at him to put him at ease and silently mouthed that it was okay.

“Then why are you here?”

Tom was a little confused again. “’Cause you made me. You were going to have me arrested if I didn’t tell what I heard and seen.”

“So the truth is, you saw Calleigh O’Brian at the end of that alley, right after the shooting; and you heard a woman’s footsteps running from the scene?”

Tom looked sorrowfully at the defendant and like a whipped pup, nodded his head yes.

Joel returned to his seat and Barlow had no questions. He was trying to brace himself for the next witness. There was a hush over the room as Doc lumbered slowly up to the front. Like Tom, he swore on the Bible and took his seat. He let his gaze rest on Calleigh, drawing strength from her encouraging smile.

“Good morning Dr. Adams.” As the older gentleman turned to face the prosecutor, his expression changed from one of compassion to one of extreme indignation. His only response to the greeting was stone cold silence. “Well, okay, then. Let’s get started. You are the physician in Dodge?”

“One of them.”

“But you have been here for many years.” 

“We both have.”

Joel walked back to his table and looked at the open tablet. “Dr. Adams, you examined the body of Charles Poe?”

“I did.”

“And could you elaborate on that?”

“He was shot in the back. The bullet I extracted was .41 caliber.”

“And what kind of gun would that indicate?”

Doc swiped at his mustache and gave his ear lobe a tug. “Well the Colt New Line takes a .41 caliber.”

“Judge, I am requesting that Dr. Adams be deemed a hostile witness and I ask for some leeway in my questioning.”

The ruling was instantly made, “Granted.” 

“I believe the bullet you retrieved was a .41 caliber ‘short’ which is only used in a Derringer. The Colt New Line takes a .41 caliber ‘long’. Isn’t that accurate, Dr. Adams?”

Doc took his eyes from Calleigh long enough to burn anger into Joel Dillard. “Yes. That is accurate.”

“Can you tell me what was found in the vicinity of Charles Poe's body?” He had no doubt that the word vicinity was not foreign to this man.

“You would have to ask Percy Crump that question.” 

“I will do that if necessary, but right now, I’m asking you.”

Again, Doc swiped at his mustache. “A derringer.”

“Could you describe the gun to the jury, please?”

“It had a silver caduceus embossed on the pearl handle.”

“Could you tell the court what you mean by a caduceus?”

“It’s a, uh, staff…with two serpents twined around it. It’s a Greek mythological symbol. Medical symbol.”

“And did you recognize the gun?” 

For the first time, Doc took his eyes from Calleigh, as though he were ashamed. He swiped his mustache and lowered his head. Joel waited longer than necessary, before asking the judge to instruct him to answer. 

“Dr. Adams, the court instructs you to answer Mr. Dillard’s question."

“I bought it for Dr. O’Brian when she joined my practice. I had it specially made for her.” His voice quivered, but he was determined to maintain his composure. 

Joel looked at his hostile witness and then at the defendant. She was biting her lip to keep the tears away. He could see there were two hearts breaking here and he decided his point was made. “I have no further questions for this witness.”

Barlow whispered something to his client and then stepped up to the witness. His tone was nothing if not compassionate, “Doc, how are you doing?”

“I’ve been better.” There was no hostility in him now, only a sad, broken old man. 

“Where did you stay last night?” Doc’s furry brows wrinkled as he looked up in confusion. Barlow rephrased the question. “Did you stay at your office last night?”

“No...I...I stayed with the O’Brian’s.”

“With Calleigh and her husband. Correct?” Doc nodded. 

“Who else was there?”

“Marshal Dillon’s other two children, Cooper and Hadley.”

“Now, Mrs. O’Brian’s husband is a part-time deputy, is that correct also?”

“That’s correct.” Doc was confused as to this line of questioning.

“Did Deputy O’Brian, or Calleigh, hold you at gunpoint to keep you there?”

“What!? NO, of course not.”

“They both knew that you were going to testify today, didn’t they?”

“Yes.”

“And it’s true that you didn’t want to testify.”

“Yes.”

“Well, why didn’t you just leave town, so that you wouldn’t have to do this today?”

Barlow had finally struck a nerve, which brought Doc out of his broken self. “Don’t think I didn’t want to! I had my bag packed and was ready to go, but...” he pointed at the defense table, anger in his voice and eyes, “…she threw a fit. Demanded that I stay and...” He stopped abruptly, eyes blinking wide with sudden understanding. He looked at Barlow and was met with an encouraging smile. 

“Why was she so adamant that you testify?” He had arrived at the crux of his question and he saw by the twinkle in Doc’s eyes, that he finally understood. 

“I think Ma Smalley said it best. Calleigh was raised under that badge. She was raised by the law, good or bad; it’s what Matt Dillon believes in and it’s what he has taught all of his children. When no one wanted to arrest her, Calleigh threatened to go to Hays to turn herself in.” He looked at the jury. Oddly enough, there were several people he did not know. “I only hope you will look at the whole picture.”

“Thank you Doc, I have no more questions.”

Doc rose from the chair and started down the aisle between the rows of chairs. He stopped at the defense table and despite the fact that they both knew better, Calleigh flew from her chair into her Poppy’s arms. Neither cared that the town was watching them cry. Neither cared that Judge Rambeau was pounding his gavel furiously on the table. Nether noticed when the spectators and the jury filed out of the room in silence. 

 

Chapter 14  
All Together

Closing arguments were tomorrow and Barlow had planned on being holed up in the Dillon’s study for most of the night. Bethany had convinced her mom to spend the night with her, as a kind of girl’s night. Kitty suspected their only topic of conversation would be the wedding. 

As for the Dillons and O’Brians, Calleigh wanted all of her family together tonight; so she, Newly and Doc stayed at the Lady K. She wanted them to play with the kids, have supper and just be normal—for that one night. 

Somehow, they managed to have a nice evening. Calleigh helped Kitty in the kitchen—and the men razzed her about her cooking, as usual. Doc and Newly decided that Cooper was old enough to start learning about checkers, so the board was set up and the lessons began. That only left Hadley to be entertained and piggyback rides on the Marshal’s back accomplished that feat. 

Barlow was too wrapped up in his work to come out for supper; but Calleigh made him a plate and slipped it in, while he was walking around the room, practicing his summation. He didn’t stop, but he did give her a wink, which she took as a thank you. 

Eventually, the small ones were tiring out and Calleigh volunteered to put them to bed. Hadley was no trouble, which was definitely unusual. She was almost asleep by the time she was stripped and redressed in her nightgown. With a kiss to the cheek, Calleigh slipped out of Hadley's room and went down the hall to tuck in Cooper.

“I’m really glad you stayed with us tonight.” Cooper bounced onto his bed and climbed under the covers when Calleigh pulled them back. “I wish you could stay every night.” He wrapped his arms around her neck and pulled her down for a kiss. “It’s like before you got in trouble.” 

“It is, isn’t it?” Calleigh hugged him tighter than usual, before settling him back under the covers. She brushed her fingers through his unruly curls. “I love you Coop.”

“I love you too, Calleigh. I’m so glad you’re home.” She kissed him once again and then left the room.

Calleigh checked on the girl one more time, to make certain she was truly asleep, before retreating back downstairs. 

 

DodgeDodgeDodgeDodgeDodge

 

“What do you want?” Newly asked, as soon as she walked into the kitchen, “Coffee or a whiskey?”

Calleigh looked around the room at the faces she loved. “I would like...a cup of coffee, with a shot of whiskey.” Through it all, she had maintained that infectious grin. 

Matt headed toward the study to procure a bottle; and kissed the mass of curls on the crown of her head as he passed by. “Just the whiskey; anybody want anything else?” There were no other requests, so he continued on his mission.

Kitty started the coffee and retrieved cups from the cupboard. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Calleigh slip an arm around her Poppy. Today had been really hard on both of them. She watched Calleigh lean closer and whisper something in his ear. Whatever it was, it earned a kiss on the cheek. 

“Your lawyer is sounding real professional in there.” Matt announced when he returned with the bottle. “Now, who wanted something special in their coffee?”

“I don’t wunt no coffee, Matthew, but I shur wud like sum of thet whiskey.” 

Heads turned toward the voice; the shocked expression was contagious—as it spread from one face to the next. Calleigh was the first one to regain her voice, but not the only one. While she ran toward the hill man, throwing herself into his arms, everyone else circled around him, each calling his name.

“Where have you been?!” Matt wasn’t the first to reach him but he was the loudest. “We thought you got lost.” With Calleigh hanging around his neck, it was hard for him to talk. The smile on his face, as the young red head made a fuss over him, told Matt he was going to have to wait for an answer. 

“I was worried!” Calleigh said it, as if it was a debt that he now owed her. “Why didn’t you send a wire—or something—to let us know you were all right?”

“Ya knows I ain’t a gonna tell sum stranger my secrets.” Festus grinned at the circle of friends surrounding him. Family, he thought, is shur enuff a fine thing. “I did sum mighty hard ridin to git back here.” He looked over to Matt, “How ‘bout that whiskey, Matthew?”

“I’ll get it.” Calleigh set him free and then went over to the counter to pour him a drink. She handed it to her friend, then hoisted herself up onto the counter to sit.

“Thank you, Calleigh girl.” The familiar sound of his spurs confirmed that he was back, as he walked over to the table to sit down. “I hear’d the trial ain’t a going too good.”

Matt’s brows knitted together, his face reflecting his curiosity. “How do you know that?”

Festus threw back the small glass of liquid. “Foot, Matthew, I’ve hurd nuthin but ‘bout this here court thang, for the last hunderd miles. All folks is jabberin on ‘bout, is ‘Matt Dillon’s daughter on trial.’ That there is powerful big news.” 

Matt rephrased his earlier question. “So, what did you find out in Stillwater? We could use some good news.”

“Wael, I gots sum news; but I don’t know how good it’ll set. Charlie Poe had hissef a wife.” He squinted an eye at his Calleigh girl, knowing this news would hurt her. “Shawna Willis.” 

He saw her face go from surprise, to hurt—in the time it took for a single breath. “I knowd she waz a friend of your’n.”

Another voice spoke up from the doorway, surprising them all once again, “Shawna Willis…?” Barlow repeated the name slowly. “Isn’t that the girl that you were treating? The one you gave the sleeping powders?”

Calleigh responded with a distracted nod; her mind was reeling with events that suddenly fell into place like the final pieces of a puzzle.

“I’ll take that drink, now.” Barlow saw the bottle on the counter and walked toward it. “I heard all the yelling, when Mr. Haggen arrived, so I thought I would come and see what all the commotion was about.” 

With his drink in one hand, he reached out the other to the hill man. “Barlow Madson; I believe we met when my daughter moved here.”

“We rightly did; and it’s jist plain Festus. ‘Mr. Haggen’ usually means I’m in sum kind a truble. That there girl of yurs is doin a fine job at the Prairie Rose. She’s a good un.”

“Thank you; we’re pretty proud of her.” Barlow suddenly realized that everyone was watching this little reunion. He cleared his throat and tried to regain his professional persona. 

Festus had allowed himself to be sidetracked, rather than face Calleigh with the rest of the bad news. Festus had known all along that these revelations would likely affect his Calleigh girl in one of two ways: Either she was going to be angry, at being duped; or hurt, at being used--maybe both. Either way, she would probably need some time alone to come to terms, so he wasn‘t surprised when he saw her slide down from the counter and slip out toward the back stairs. He decided to go ahead and tell the rest of his news to her attorney.

“She waz purty jealous of ol’ Charlie. There seems to be sum confuddlement about a girl falling down a bunch a steps an’ getten a broke neck. 'Pears her ‘n Poe waz too close fur comfort, if ya all get my drift.” He tilted his head and produced a gesture—that was somewhere between a squint and a wink—to emphasize his point “Nuthin was ever proved, but them people I talked to waz purty shure Shawna did it.”

“Is that why they left Stillwater?” For the first time since the trial began, Barlow felt he was finally getting the break his client needed. 

“It was; but that’s not near all. This here’s jist hairsay, but I wuz told that she was a worken on one of them there riverboats and one of tha other girls sum how n’other got shot. No one knew whut really happened, an agin, nobody cared enuff to do sumthin about it; but the woman had been a messin around with Poe.” He finished off his whiskey and held out the glass to Barlow, who was still standing by the bottle.

Barlow refilled the glass and handed it back, “So it’s possible, this girl has killed twice in the past.” Barlow Madson leaned back against the counter, his mind racing to process this information. When he spoke, his voice was soft, his words not necessarily meant for others to hear. “Why, now, would she kill Charlie? Why not one of the girls he was chasing?”

Even though she knew it was a rhetorical question, Kitty volunteered a theory, “Maybe he was leaving her.”

It was a good enough suggestion to bring Barlow out of his brooding, as well as garner the attention of every other male in the room. “With who?”

“Not with anyone. She was pregnant.” Kitty saw the multiple looks of surprise, “Shawna had miscarried and that’s why Calleigh was treating and filling in for her. Maybe...maybe Charlie didn’t want be tied down with a wife and child.”

“But, you said she miscarried.” Barlow still needed a little more clarification.

“But he didn’t know that. She didn’t lose the baby until early the morning of the murder,” Kitty glanced over at Matt and could see the anger brewing in his eyes. Someone had deliberately harmed—and was messing with—his daughter’s life and he was not happy. 

“When you went up to her room, that must be when she took your gun-” Kitty stopped when she turned around, only to find the counter empty, except for the lone coffee cup. “Where is Calleigh?”

“She jist needed sum time by hersef; mebbe whilst checkin’ on the little’uns.”

As devoted as she was to her siblings, Kitty didn’t accept Festus’ answer. To ease her own mind, Kitty set her glass on the table and headed for the bedrooms. Her search was futile, just as she expected it would be. She knew Calleigh very well and this news had to be a shock for her. Her daughter had reached out to Shawna and thought it was the beginning of a friendship. Kitty felt the tingling of those little hairs on the back of her neck, the ones that stood up when all was not right. 

When she started down the main stairs, she found the front door open. Her heart began to pound, as she crossed the foyer and stepped out onto the porch. Ruth was no longer tied to the hitch post out front and the slightest hint of dust could be seen on the far horizon.

For the first time in her life, Kitty regretted the fact that the little redhead wasn’t armed. Taking in a deep steadying breath, Kitty returned to the kitchen and braced herself for the reaction when she announced her findings. “Calleigh’s gone! She’s taken Ruth and I’m sure she’s going to confront Shawna!”

Though it seemed like time stood still, it took only a matter of seconds for everyone to process her words. Suddenly, the sound of chairs screeching on the wooden floor shattered the silence in the room. Bodies were pushing past one another, each fighting to get out the door. All the men, save Barlow, disappeared into the barn. One by one, they reappeared, mounted—and headed toward town. Doc was the last to emerge. 

Kitty went toward the front door to join Doc when he pulled around with the buggy, but stopped abruptly just as she reached for the door. Her eyes shot up toward the sleeping children. She was, momentarily, caught in a web of conflict; but the spell was soon broken by a Boston accent. 

“GO!” Barlow shouted, “I’ll watch them.”

Kitty’s fearful blue eyes conveyed a mother’s gratefulness.

 

Chapter 15  
Girl Talk

Calleigh knocked on the door. She heard the voice inside ask who it was. “Calleigh O’Brian,” she announced and soon heard the click of the lock as the door opened. 

Shawna smiled at the sight of her new friend. “Calleigh, come in.” She opened the door wider and stepped aside. “What are you doing in town at this time of night?” 

“I couldn’t sleep. They’re doing closing arguments tomorrow.” Calleigh made herself comfortable in the only chair in the room. “Will you be there?”

“Of course I will. I’ve been there every day so far.” Shawna sat back down on the edge of her bed. “They won’t find you guilty, they can’t.”

Calleigh’s gaze traveled aimlessly around the room, seeing everything, while seeing nothing. “This whole thing is killing my family. My husband, is worn to a frazzle; my dad was going to give up his badge, ruining his good name; and my little brother and sister are...” She threw up her hands in a helpless gesture. “They don’t understand why I can’t come home to stay—why we can’t spend most of our days together, like always.”

“I forgot that Kitty’s children are your siblings.” She gave a nervous laugh. “You’re so much older than them. Do they look at you more like an aunt?”

“They look at me like a sister.” Calleigh’s tone betrayed her anger, “because I AM their sister. Did you see Poppy today, Shawna? It broke his heart to have to testify against me.”

Shawna dropped her gaze, as though she could no longer face the torment on Calleigh’s face. “I could see he was hurt. That was a shame, he’s a sweet guy.”

“A shame? A sweet guy?? This old man that has devoted his whole life to the people of Dodge, helped raised me, like I was his own flesh and blood. This sweet guy had his heart ripped out today, in front of the whole town.” Every word was growing in decibel and anger. “A SHAME?” 

Moving slowly, Shawna slipped to the edge of the bed and felt for the hard surface of the floor, to get her footing. “I didn’t mean to make light, Calleigh, I’m sorry. You sound like you’re mad at me. I would have testified for you; I sure do wish I could, but I wasn’t there. Remember? I was in bed when all of this happened.”

“All of what? The fight I had with Charlie; or the shooting?” Calleigh had regained her composure, at least enough to speak calmly and she could tell that her question was troubling to Shawna. 

“Both. You know that. I’m confused.”

Calleigh rose from the chair and walked over to the window. Again, she stared into the street, seeing nothing. 

“I had to come here, I had to know... Why? Why would you do this to me?” Calleigh began to turn around, but her body resisted, when it was struck by an unseen force. It was a blow so hard, that it changed the simple act of breathing, into a struggle for air. She felt a second strike, though not as hard. It took her a few seconds to realize that she hadn’t been hit, but stabbed. 

Calleigh managed to twist around, seeking the eyes of this back stabbing stranger with the face of friend, while she slowly slumped down to the floor. 

Shawna stood above the wounded girl, her eyes wide with surprise at her own actions. She looked down at her hands, staring at the large sewing scissors that were covered in blood. In a sudden move, she tossed them to the floor, as though to distance herself from the weapon. 

“I’m so sorry...you have to believe me. But I didn’t think they would arrest you.” Her voice was strangely compassionate, as she leaned down to stroke the stray curls from Calleigh’s face. “You’re a doctor and the Marshal’s daughter; I never thought they would do this—at least not to you.”

Calleigh was a doctor and she realized that the wound Shawna had inflicted could be fatal. Her breath was shallow, but she struggled to ask, “Why...Shawna, why...did...you stab...”

Again, Shawna leaned closer, her green eyes filled with sympathy, “I had to, don’t you see? If they will send you to jail, then I wouldn’t stand a chance; and I’m too young to waste the rest of my life in a prison. Calleigh, I didn’t want to hurt you, but you didn’t leave me a choice.”

“Shawna...I’m going to die here.” Calleigh struggled to keep herself upright. “You won’t...go... to prison forever.” She winced from the pain as she reached back. Her hand felt the wetness and when she pulled it out, it was covered in blood. 

“I...can testify for...you...about what Charlie did to you.” Again, Calleigh had to stop, as she was coughing up blood and knew she wasn’t going to stay conscious for much longer.

“You know what he did to me?” Her green eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“He…beat you...” The coughing started again, “That’s why you lost the baby.”

“How did you know that?”

Calleigh let her head fall back against the wall, “The bruises...on your... arm. That‘s...why you... shot him?”

“He was going to leave me, because he didn’t want to be tied down with a wife and baby.” Shawna settled back on her knees. 

“Why... would you...love… someon-” Again, Calleigh couldn’t find the breath to finish.

“We grew up together, in Stillwater. I loved him since I was fourteen years old. I know you probably can’t understand that.” Calleigh looked up with eyes that clearly said, she did, for a fact, understand. “I know what he is, but...I love him.”

“How...how did…”

“Shhh, you need to save your breath.” In a gentle, almost motherly gesture, Shawna brushed her hand along Calleigh’s cheek. 

“How did I do it? When you came to check on me with the powder, I saw the gun in your reticule. I didn’t drink the sleeping powder; I poured it out under the blanket while you were putting in the comb.” She let go a regretful sigh, “I didn’t mean to leave your gun there. That was an accident. I was so scared after I shot him, that I just dropped it.”

“Shawna…If you ...let me die... you will... go to prison...for...life.” 

“I know,” the girl rose to her feet. “What you don’t understand, is that…” Shawna sighed again, as though the thought of killing had depressed her, “They will surely send me to jail, if not for this, then for those others.”

“Others?”

“Yeah. I loved Charlie, but he had a wandering eye. Usually, women found him irritating; but a couple of them didn’t. They were willing to play around with him. Nothing was ever proven before; but with this… They will tie all of it together and I’ll be in prison for life—if they don’t hang me.”

Shawna pulled a carpetbag out of the wardrobe and began to shove dresses into it. “I really liked you. I truly am sorry but I’m sure you understand that I have to go. I wish there had been some other way.” She crossed the room and knelt down beside Calleigh again, “The stage should be leaving in about twenty minutes, I really do have to go now.”

Calleigh raised a trembling hand, in a final attempt to reach out, but her waning strength caused it to fall into her lap. “Shawna...please...don’t do ...this. My...family...Newly...” 

There was genuine regret in Shawna’s eyes for the girl that would have been her friend but her heart was ruled by her love for herself, “I would have liked being friends with you.” 

Shawna stood up and grabbed the carpetbag. She stepped over Calleigh’s outstretched legs and exited the room. 

She closed the door behind her and headed down the stairs. Suddenly, she heard footsteps on the boardwalk outside the batwing doors, heavy footsteps—and the familiar jangle of spurs. Her green eyes sparkled now with a rush of fear. She only had seconds to make a decision. She chose to turn instead and rush along the back hallway. There was still time to make that stage.

 

LongBranchLongBranchLongBranch

 

It was hard to say which one of them came bursting through the doors first, but there was no doubt that both were yelling, calling Calleigh’s name, over and over. “Look down in here, I’ll check upstairs.” 

Again, it was hard to tell which man was in the lead. Matt’s legs were longer, giving him a bigger stride; but Newly’s step was driven by fear of losing what was most precious to him. He passed the giant man by the time they reached the landing. 

Instinct told them to check Shawna’s room first. The door had been locked, but Newly’s size 11 boot was the perfect key. The wooden doorframe splintered from the force, but the crude aperture thankfully revealed his objective. 

One of them cried out, but afterward, neither could remember which one. “FESTUS! UP HERE!” 

Slumped against the wall, was the love that gave his life meaning. Newly didn’t have time to cry, or to be scared. He scooped the seemingly lifeless body of his heart’s little spitfire into his arms and laid her on the bed. Matt looked on, helpless, fighting every instinct he had to push this man out of the way and grab his daughter. However, he knew he didn’t have the right, or the skill, that Newly possessed. He turned when he heard the jangle of spurs behind him. 

“Matt, get me something to stop the bleeding.”

The big man was headed toward the bureau, when he heard a familiar voice and felt a hand on his. “I’ll do it.” 

Kitty hurried past her husband to the dresser and grabbed a handful of cotton garments. She was instantly at Newly’s side with the wadding of clean cloths. Having helped Doc numerous times, Kitty already knew what to do, but she hadn’t come alone. Doc was with her and came forward now, gently, but firmly, pushing Newly aside.

“Doc?”

The old man’s eyes were fixed on his patient, as he hurriedly tried to stop the bleeding. He heard the heartfelt question, but couldn’t give Kitty the answer she wanted. “I don’t know,” was the best he could offer. 

“Newly, go over to my office. I’m going need a syringe, gauze, carbolic acid,..uh, sutures… hell, you know the rest. Just hurry up! Matt, help me here.” 

Newly heard Doc ask Matt to help him with Calleigh. As he ran down the stairs, Newly was struck by the irony: The last time she had been injured, he was forced to stay behind, when he so desperately wanted to track down the man who shot her. This time, because of his medical training, he was forced to leave, while the only thing he wanted to do, was to stay and care for his wife.

“Hold her...gently.” Doc instructed Matt to turn the girl over onto her stomach, “Lay her down...easy. Okay. Kitty, do you have that basin of water ready?” He looked over, to find her already at his elbow, waiting to set the water down.

“We need to get this off...” He pulled at the collar of her blouse until the soft cotton gave way. The material ripped away the last vestige of protection between Calleigh and the world. The blood had overtaken the bright yellow fabric, leaving no trace of the tiny daisy print. Doc heard Kitty’s gasp, when he revealed the angry wounds bleeding profusely onto her smooth translucent skin. “Where the hell is New-”

“I’m right here Doc!” His words were breathless, as he rushed over to the bed. Newly watched as the old man readied the syringe. It was amazing how those elderly fingers showed no sign of age when working on patients, but refused to securely hold a cup of coffee, first thing on a cold morning. 

Kitty didn’t have the training of either of the men, but she could still recognize that Calleigh’s breathing was in distress. She watched Doc push in the needle, then looked worriedly toward Matt. It took mere minutes before the girl’s breathing began to improve. Kitty’s eyes met with Newly’s and for that brief moment, both felt relief. There was little time to enjoy it, however, as Doc started shouting new orders. The other wound needed to be cleaned and stitched.

Festus reappeared in the doorway and tried to get to Matt, without interrupting Doc. “Matthew, how’s she doin?” 

The response was a silent shrug and a hopeful look. Festus took his place beside the big man, his eyes on his Calleigh girl, as he quietly spoke. “She’s a hidin somewhere down thar on the street. I’m a thinken she’s gonna get on that there stage.”

Both men watched Doc pull the sutures, smooth as Sarah Carr stitching through a piece of satin. Both hoped his handiwork would be enough. 

The old physician had finished sewing up the wounds. Before going any further, he listened to the girl’s heart and the relief that washed over him was visible. “Good and Steady,” he finally announced. “She’s lost a lot of blood. We won’t know anything for a while.” 

Then the elder physician turned to the other men, unable to keep the anger from his tone, “Don’t let that girl get away!”

 

Chapter 16  
Shawna Escapes

Shawna stood back in the shadows, behind the mercantile. With all the commotion at the Long Branch, she knew Calleigh’s family had arrived, and were most likely in hot pursuit. She also knew the stage depot would be their first stop. From this spot, she could keep herself hidden, but still see the stage. If she could just keep free for a few more minutes... As soon as the stage pulled out, she was sure she could catch up to it and get on. Not the most ladylike way to board a stage, but definitely safer than a life behind bars. 

 

DodgeDodgeDodgeDodgeDodgeDodge

 

Taggert Beamer had been thinking about that glass of beer for the last twenty miles. In his mind’s eye, he could taste the thick foam, see the clear golden color, and sniff the pungent aroma. Even though Taggart was not known for his imagination or creativity, he was able to create such an image in his head that it made his mouth water and his tongue ran roughly over his parched lips. Despite the Marshal’s many warnings, he snapped the reins impatiently across the team’s backs, to hurry them along. 

It was almost midnight; the classier bars on Front Street would be closed, but he was fairly certain that the Bull’s Head—clear out at the edge of town—would be open until twelve thirty, or beyond.

Matt and Festus, fueled by more than the badges over their hearts, had started down Front Street—one on each side—searching for the woman that had almost destroyed their Calleigh. They were checking doors, to make certain they were locked; checking alleys, making sure they were empty; any place big enough to conceal a one-hundred pound blonde maniac was checked and double-checked. 

As they drew closer, Shawna realized they were most likely going to reach her hiding spot before the stage took off. She watched Festus rattle the knob on the Tonsorial Parlor and knew he would be at the Mercantile next. The stage still wasn’t ready to pull out, but she was going to have to move, or risk discovery. She stood watching the approaching lawman, bouncing on one foot nervously, as she tried to decide her next move. Finally, it was decided for her. The pearl comb that she had used to pull back her hair, had a luminescent glow from the moonlight and it was just enough to catch Festus’ eye. 

“Matthew, I think she’s over here!” Spurs went to jangling, as Festus ran toward the mercantile. 

Shawna quickly abandoned her carpetbag, in order to gain a little time. She tossed it, just inside the alley, where it lay in the dark, waiting to trip some unsuspecting runner. Festus just happened to fit that bill. As soon as he turned the corner, he went sprawling into the alley. “Dadgum, piece a...” He suddenly caught sight of her slender outline, rushing along toward the end of the alley, but the darkness swallowed her up before he could tell which way she was going. He pulled himself to his feet, “Matthew, I’ll head on down this’a way!” 

“Let’s try to keep her cornered on this side of the street.” Matt headed in the opposite direction of his foreman. 

Shawna pressed her trembling body against the cool brick wall on the side of the bank. Her chest rose and fell quickly and deeply, as she fought to remain calm. That hillbilly had come too close to catching her. She peeked out enough to see that the stage still wasn’t moving. They had been loaded for at least ten minutes. 

‘What are you waiting for!’ She screamed in her head.

This time, it was Matt coming down her side of the street. Once again, she cloaked herself in the darkness and dropped down closer to the ground.

“Clem!” Matt stopped, not more than five feet from his prey. “Hold on awhile. I need you to stay put.”

“I got a schedule, Marshal.” Clem muttered, hoping the Marshal wasn’t going to cause him to be any further behind schedule than he already was.

“Someone just tried to kill Calleigh.”

The tall muscular man immediately stopped what he was doing and turned toward the lawman, “Calleigh? Little Doc?”

“Yeah; can you hold the stage?”

Clem stepped down from the boardwalk, moving closer to Matt,” For her, I sure can, Marshal. Who are you looking for?”

“Shawna Willis. Tall, blonde; works at the Long Branch.”

“I’ll sure keep an eye out, Marshal.” he stepped back up onto the boardwalk to inform his partner. 

Shawna pinched her lips between her teeth to keep from making a sound. He was so close, she thought she could hear his breathing and she was terrified that he could hear hers. If not her breathing then surely her heart, which was beating at least a hundred beats-a-second and as loud as one of those bass drums in a marching band. 

Matt walked out into the center of the road, hoping to get a clearer view of Front Street. It would have been easier if the moon had been full, but a crescent moon was better than no moon at all. Slowly, he let his eyes travel over the storefronts, doorways, any crate or box sitting on the boardwalk. 

In the meantime, Festus had circled around to the back end of the buildings, where he’d last glimpsed Shawna weaving through shadows and tried to retrace her steps. He figured she would want to be closer to the stage, so he turned right. When he got to the mouth of the alley, he thought he saw something beside the bank.

Matt stood still, his eyes narrowed, as he tried to identify a sound. A rattling, creaking sound, coming closer. With a sudden turn, he saw the source of the irritating noise. 

Taggert Beamer, aimed for the Bull’s Head and expecting no one on Front Street at this hour, pushed his team all the harder. His dilapidated wagon came careening around the corner, both horses sliding into the turn. 

 

DodgeDodgeDodgeDodgeDodge

 

Festus crept up, being careful not to let his spurs announce his arrival. As he got closer, he could just make out a body—crouched, low and feral—against the wall. He could also hear the commotion of the rattletrap wagon, careening along on Front Street. The crouched body suddenly stood upright, also causing Festus to make his move, jingling spurs and all.

Shawna had heard Festus coming up behind her. She also saw the wagon coming around the corner, an answered prayer there for the taking. That wagon was going fast enough to get her away from the two angry men, trying to hunt her down. Her lips turned up slightly at the corners, as she breathed a sigh of relief.

Matt held up his arms, waving frantically for Taggert to stop, but the horses were out of control and the wide-eyed man was at the mercy of his wagon and team. He could see the Marshal yelling, but there was too much noise to make out the words.

As the speeding wagon neared the bank, Shawna made her daring move for freedom. She lunged forward in an attempt to jump onto the wagon; but she waited a split second too long and Festus was able to grab a handful of dress before she could complete her escape. He wasn’t able to hang on, but it was enough to cause Shawna to stumble forward, missing her aim. 

Shawna’s terror of what was about to happen, was clearly broadcast in her eyes. She tumbled off the boardwalk, into the path of Taggert’s out-of-control wagon. Her screams, drowned out by the high-pitched whinny of the frightened horses, as well as the rattle and screech of the old buffalo skinner’s wagon. He struggled to bring the situation under control. Taggert—his mouth dry now from fright, rather than thirst—was almost at the end of Front Street before he got the wagon stopped. 

Matt and Festus ran to the grisly scene, both dropping next to the dying girl. The wagon had caught her mid-section and they didn’t need Doc to tell them she wasn’t going to survive. They were actually shocked that she was still conscious. Shawna was struggling to speak, as blood frothed from the corners of her mouth and Matt leaned in closer to hear her dying declaration. He was only able to understand a few words, before her body, finally, gave up. 

“What’d she say, Matthew?”

Matt shook his head in sad disbelief. “She still wanted Calleigh to be her friend.” Matt stared at the woman once more, before turning to go back to his daughter. 

He supposed he was sorry for the way she’d died. But...was he sorry she was dead? He didn’t try to answer that question, not even to himself. He just hurried his steps back to Calleigh.

 

Chapter 17  
Epilogue

The banner hanging across the front of the Prairie Rose read: Victory Dinner!

Kitty had instructed Bethany to lay out the biggest buffet Dodge had ever seen. There would be enough to accommodate anyone in town wanting to celebrate Calleigh’s freedom. As Kitty had told Matt before, “FREE, is the magic word.”

The banquet rooms were not enough to hold everyone, so the entire restaurant was technically ‘Closed’ to buying customers; and seating was open wherever a person felt comfortable. As was always the way, little groups formed of people that felt relaxed with each other. 

Tia, as usual, was everywhere at once, giving orders to the rest of the waitresses. She ensured that the buffet was always full, drinks were always refilled and just made certain that all guests were happy. She also helped to make people feel at ease when needed. 

At present, she was searching for the Woman of the Hour. Once she located the bouncing red curls in the crowd, she quickly crossed the room and pulled Calleigh aside. “I just thought I should tell you, Nathan Burke is wandering around out front, trying to look inconspicuous.” Tia arched her brows in a questioning gesture. 

Calleigh leaned back for a view of the street and caught a glimpse of the man in question. 

She gave Tia’s arm a squeeze and smiled. “Thanks, I’ll take care of it.” 

With that said, she quickly worked her way through the crowd. The cool night air rushed to meet her as she walked out onto the boardwalk. Burke turned away, trying to pretend a casual stance. “Burke.” He could hear her walking closer and knew he had to face her. When he turned around, he was surprised to find her infamous grin, just as bright and sincere as always. “Aren’t you coming inside?”

“Uh...well...I uh.” He shuffled his feet and once again, his eyes fell downcast. “I’m sorry about-”

“Burke. We’ve never been—close—but we are both citizens of Dodge; and that means we’re part of a bigger family. I don’t think you do the things you do with any malice intended.” She glanced over, looking through the fancy painted glass window, to the people milling around inside. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

Relief washed over him and he turned to accompany her. “I can’t believe Edsel Pry brought the Attorney General here to Dodge.” He leaned in closer and lowered his voice to a whisper, “You know, I heard-”

Calleigh stopped abruptly, causing his words to hang in the air. Her brilliant blue eyes burned into him, accusing and reprimanding simultaneously. Burke, crimson rising quickly from beneath his collar, cleared his throat and finished his sentence. “I heard—she makes the best pies in the whole state!” He looked at the little red head, waiting for her approval.

Calleigh linked her arm in his and resumed their walk to the door. “You know, that’s exactly what I thought you were going to say.” 

 

PrairieRosePrairieRosePrairieRose

 

“I feel a little strange, are you sure about this?” Joel Dillard was hesitant to accompany Barlow into the dining room of the victory dinner. He had been the prosecutor on the case, after all. 

“Trust me, you will enjoy yourself.” Barlow had developed a great respect for the opposing counsel. “I’ve done my homework on you. You have a reputation of being a bulldog when you’ve got a witness on the stand. You could have destroyed Doc Adams, but you didn’t.”

Joel let his gaze roam around the crowded room. “He gave me what I needed. To push him further would have just been cruel.” A wisp of a laugh escaped and he returned his attention to Barlow, “Besides, he is loved by this town. I maybe could have gotten more out of him, but it would have cost me.” 

He accepted an appetizer from one of the girls that stopped with a tray. “During the short time I’ve been in Dodge, I’ve learned a lot, just by listening. In the barbershop, the saloons, the billiard room at the Dodge House…why even here at the restaurant—especially here.” 

“Good or bad?”

“Captivating. Gossip or rumor—whichever you choose—says the Marshal seems to be the glue that holds everything together; and that lady right there,” he nodded in Kitty’s direction, “is what keeps him grounded.”

Dillard popped the hors d’oeuvre into his mouth and appeared to like what he tasted. “They do have good food here!” He paused to chew, on both food and his thought, “I was confused at first, about the way the Dillon family was all connected to this person—yet not really related.”

Barlow had to laugh; he‘d felt the same way when first he got involved with the Dillons. “My Betsy explained it to me like this: Did your mother make quilts?”

“My grandmother did.” Dillard’s eyes seemed to light up at the memory. “She won 1st prize, for thirteen years running, at the local County Fair.” He stopped, slipping Barlow a quizzical look. Although he obviously enjoyed the memory, he didn’t quite understand the connection.

“Betsy says that when you make a quilt, you start with the strong center block and then begin to add on squares or patches. Matt and Kitty Dillon are that center piece. And I have to say, that together, they are strong enough to withstand anything. Of course their children—Calleigh, Cooper and Hadley—are the closest squares; but they have gone on to add Doc, Newly,” he pointed with a smile at the hill man in the corner with Calleigh, “…Festus, Thad; and I am most grateful that my Bethany has become one of the squares. These patches are held together with love, respect and loyalty. As the quilt gets older, it stretches to accommodate, but it doesn’t get weaker, just more comfortable.”

“And how do you fit into this ‘quilt’?” Joel was both amused and touched by Barlow’s wife’s analogy.

“I am proud to say, Betsy and I earned our patches.” He looked at the people around the room: Calleigh laughing and whispering to Festus, while Doc was shaking his finger at both of them. Bethany was deep in conversation with Newly. And even though they were on opposite sides of the room, he caught the way Matt and Kitty’s eyes were continually drawn back to each other. “This is a nice town. These are good people.”

 

PrairieRosePrairieRosePrairieRose

 

Tia, once again, was on a mission of mercy. She stepped up behind the Marshal and tugged at his shirt. “There’s a man in the front dining room. He doesn’t want to eat from the buffet. He wants to pay for his dinner.”

“Did you tell him it was available for everyone?” Matt’s eyes wandered to the front dining room.

She tilted her head just a hair to one side and leaned in to whisper. “It’s Judge Rambeau. I think he’s embarrassed and feels he’s not welcome. Do you want me to ask him to leave? The truth is, Marshal, I don’t think any place else is open. Everyone in town is here.”

“Of course not. I’ll go speak with him.” Matt smiled at the girl and moved around her toward the front dining room. He spotted the heavyset man by the front door. “Judge. I understand there’s some confusion. The restaurant is open tonight in celebration for my daughter.”

“Yes, I heard that; but under the circumstances I thought, uh maybe...”

For a split second, Matt thought about letting him stew in the misery of his own making. This was the man who, because of his own arrogance, threatened the life of his eldest child. Fortunately, for Rambeau, revenge wasn’t one of Matt Dillon’s traits. “You made a mistake. Let’s call it an error in judgment.”

Suddenly, the judge found his voice. “Let’s call it what it truly was—an old man filled with his own self-importance. I ...I do apologize for what I did, or tried to do, to your daughter. Attorney General Bradford’s visit was a definite wake-up call.” Judge Rambeau raised his head to look Matt in the eyes.

“You know, when I first started out, I was a good judge. Fair, compassionate. But then, you slowly begin to surround yourself with sycophants and the next thing you know…you start to believe your own lies. When you came to see me all those years ago, you were the first person in years to tell me the truth.” He shook his head in self-disgust, “It made me angry and like a small-minded fool, I carried that anger all these years. I promise you, I would never have gone against the law, I just stuck too close to the letter and nowhere near the spirit.”

“I appreciate you telling me this. I never thought you were actually corrupt.”

“Thank you for that, Marshal Dillon. I would like to apologize to Dr. O’Brian too. I must admit, I naturally assumed she was guilty in the beginning, but the longer the trial went on and the more I heard about your family... I had to admit to myself that, the evidence just didn’t fit. I’m glad it turned out the way it did.”

“Why don’t you come in and celebrate with us?” Matt was confused at first, that the man was still hesitant, but then he realized why. “On second thought, you wait here and I’ll send Calleigh out to speak with you.”

“I would feel more comfortable if you could do that.” Rambeau cast off a shrug, “If she will even talk to me.”

“I think you will find my daughter is not one to hold personal grudges. Now if you had done this to a member of her family, then I would be advising you to run and run fast.” The Marshal offered a smile, as he retreated back into the restaurant to get Calleigh.

 

PrairieRosePrairieRosePrairieRose

 

It had been a long night and the last of the guests were leaving. Kitty had sent all the girls home and was trying to get the restaurant closed up for the night. She was having trouble closing the heavy wooden door in the back of the building. “Matt, honey can you get this door for me?”

He gently pushed her out of the way and grabbed the handle. “Why didn’t you call me in the first place? You don’t need to be tugging on this thing.” The door pulled shut with a heavy thud and he threw the bar to lock it. When he turned around, he found Kitty standing right behind him. She had one hand on her hip, and that smile that made him weak in the knees. “What?”

Kitty stepped forward, her arms sliding up around his neck enough to pull him down, until his mouth caressed hers. Despite the weariness they shared, the kiss was fresh and exciting. Matt finally pulled back, slowly releasing her lips. “Was that for closing the door? Because if it was-”

Her hand pressed against his lips to silence his silly rambling. “That was because you are always looking out for me. Just so you know—I don’t take you for granted.” Kitty finished closing down and he followed her to the front door. Matt stood patiently while she locked up the Prairie Rose.

“You know, it’s such a long way home…” She began to back away from him, her full lips drawn into a provocative pout, “The kids are staying with Ma Smalley tonight; and these...” Kitty dangled a small ring of keys. “…are to the Long Branch.”

With a wicked laugh and a quick turn, she started to run toward the bar.

“She couldn’t just let me carry her,” Matt mumbled, as he eagerly took off after her, sporting a pretty wicked grin of his own...

 

END


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